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Methyltransferases involved in methanol conversion by Methanosarcina barkeri

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Abstract

2-(Methylthio)ethanesulfonate (CH3S-CoM) is formed as an intermediate in methanogenesis from methanol by cell-free extracts of Methanosarcina barkeri. The enzyme system involved in the methyltransfer from methanol to 2-mercaptoethanesulfonate (HS-CoM) was resolved into two enzyme fractions. One enzyme (methanol: 5-hydroxybenzimidazolylcobamide methyltransferase) appears to be a cobalamin-containing protein, which is oxygen sensitive. The other enzyme (Co-methyl-5-hydroxybenzimidazolylcobamide: HS-CoM methyltransferase) was purified. It is insensitive to oxygen and it transfers also the methylgroup from Co-methyl-5,6-dimethylbenzimidazolylcobamide to HS-CoM.

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Abbreviations

HS-CoM:

2-mercaptoethanesulfonic acid

CH3S-CoM:

2-(methylthio)ethanesulfonic acid

BrES:

2-bromoethanesulfonic acid

TES:

N-tris-(hydroxymethyl)-methyl-2-aminoethanesulfonic acid

HBI:

5-hydroxybenzimidazole; and

DMBI:

5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole, are α-ligands of cobalamins

B12r :

cob(II)alamin

B12s :

cob(I)alamin

MT1 :

methanol

B12-HBI:

methyltransferase

MT2 :

CH3-B12-HBI:HS-CoM methyltransferase

SDS:

sodium dodecyl sulfate

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, University of Nijmegen, Toernooiveld, NL-6525 ED, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    Peter van der Meijden, Henk J. Heythuysen, Aloys Pouwels, Frans Houwen, Chris van der Drift & Godfried D. Vogels

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  1. Peter van der Meijden
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  2. Henk J. Heythuysen
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  3. Aloys Pouwels
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  4. Frans Houwen
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  5. Chris van der Drift
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  6. Godfried D. Vogels
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van der Meijden, P., Heythuysen, H.J., Pouwels, A. et al. Methyltransferases involved in methanol conversion by Methanosarcina barkeri . Arch. Microbiol. 134, 238–242 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00407765

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00407765

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