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H2: heterodisulfide oxidoreductase, a second energy-conserving system in the methanogenic strain Gö1

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Abstract

Washed everted vesicles of the methanogenic bacterium strain Gö1 catalyzed an H2-dependent reduction of the heterodisulfide of HS-CoM (2-mercaptoethanesulfonate) and HS-HTP (7-mercaptoheptanoylthreonine phosphate) (CoM-S-S-HTP). This process was independent of coenzyme F420 and was coupled to proton translocation across the cytoplasmic membrane into the lumen of the everted vesicles. The maximal H+/CoM-S-S-HTP ratio was 2. The tranmembrane electrochemical gradient thereby generated was shown to induce ATP synthesis from ADP+Pi, exhibiting a stoichiometry of 1 ATP synthesized per 2 CoM-S-S-HTP reduced (H+/ATP=4). ATP formation was inhibited by the uncoupler 3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxy-benzylidene-malononitrile (SF 6847) and by the ATP synthase inhibitor N,N′-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD). This energy-conserving system showed a stringent coupling. The addition of HS-CoM and HS-HTP at 1 mM each decreased the heterodisulfide reductase activity to 50% of the control. Membranes from Methanolobus tindarius showed F420H2-dependent but no H2-dependent heterodisulfide oxidoreductase activity. Neither of these activities was detectable in membranes of Methanococcus thermolithotrophicus.

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Abbreviations

Δμ H+:

transmembrane electrochemical gradient of H+

CoM-SH:

2-mercaptoethanesulfonate

F420 :

(N-l-lactyl-γ-l-glutamyl)-l-glutamic acid phosphodiester of 7,8-didemethyl-8-hydroxy-5-deazariboflavin-5′-phosphate

F420H2 :

reduced F420

HTP-SH:

7-mercaptoheptanoylthreonine phosphate

DCCD:

N,N′-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide

SF 6847:

3,5-di-ert-butyl-4-hydroxybenzylidenemalononitrile

Mb. :

Methanobacterium

Ml. :

Methanolobus

Mc. :

Methanococcus

MV:

methylviologen

BV:

benzylviologen

MTZ:

metronidazole

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Mikrobiologie, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Grisebachstrasse 8, W-3400, Göttingen, Federal Republic of Germany

    Uwe Deppenmeier, Michael Blaut & Gerhard Gottschalk

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  1. Uwe Deppenmeier
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  2. Michael Blaut
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  3. Gerhard Gottschalk
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Deppenmeier, U., Blaut, M. & Gottschalk, G. H2: heterodisulfide oxidoreductase, a second energy-conserving system in the methanogenic strain Gö1. Arch. Microbiol. 155, 272–277 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00252211

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00252211

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