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. 1984 Nov;160(2):521–525. doi: 10.1128/jb.160.2.521-525.1984

Identification of methyl coenzyme M as an intermediate in methanogenesis from acetate in Methanosarcina spp.

D R Lovley, R H White, J G Ferry
PMCID: PMC214765  PMID: 6438056

Abstract

The transfer of the methyl group of acetate to coenzyme M (2-mercaptoethanesulfonic acid; HS-CoM) during the metabolism of acetate to methane was investigated in cultures of Methanosarcina strain TM-1. The organism metabolized CD3COO- to 83% CD3H and 17% CD2H2 and produced no CDH3 or CH4. The isotopic composition of coenzyme M in cells grown on CD3COO- was analyzed with a novel gas chromatography-mass spectrometry technique. The cells contained CD3-D-CoM and CD2H-S-CoM) in a proportion similar to that of CD3H to CD2H2. These results, in conjunction with a report (J.K. Nelson and J.G. Ferry, J. Bacteriol. 160:526-532, 1984) that extracts of acetate-grown strain TM-1 contain high levels of CH3-S-CoM methylreductase, indicate that CH3-S-CoM is an intermediate in the metabolism of acetate to methane in this organism.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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