Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Pseudo vitamin B12 or 5-hydroxybenzimidazolyl-cobamide are the corrinoids found in methanogenic bacteria

  • Original Papers
  • Published:
Archives of Microbiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Thirteen species of methanogenic bacteria were analyzed for corrinoids. Pseudo vitamin B12 (Coα-[α-(7-adenyl)]-cobamide) was the predominant cobamide of methanococcales and Methanoplanus. All other methanogens contained factor III (Coα-[α-(5-hydroxybenzimidazolyl)]-cobamide). Vitamin B12 (Coα-[α-(5,6-dimethylbenzimidazolyl)]-cobamide) was not detected in any of these archaebacteria. Their cobamide content was 100 to 1400 nmol per gram cell dry weight, indicating that abundant cobamides are essential for methanogens.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ankel-Fuchs D, Thauer RK (1986) Methane formation from methyl coenzyme M in a system containing methyl-CoM reductase, component B and reduced cobalamin. Eur J Biochem 156:171–177

    Google Scholar 

  • Balch WE, Fox GE, Margrum LJ, Woese CR, Wolfe RS (1979) Methanogens: Reevaluation of a unique biological group. Microbiol Rev 43:260–296

    Google Scholar 

  • Barker HA, Weissbach H, Smith RD (1958) A coenzyme containing pseudovitamin B12. Proc Natl Acad Sci US 44:1093–1097

    Google Scholar 

  • Bott MH, Eikmanns B, Thauer RK (1985) Defective formation and/or utilization of carbon monoxide in H2/CO2 fermenting methanogens dependent on acetate as carbon source. Arch Microbiol 143:266–269

    Google Scholar 

  • Breuil C, Patel GB (1980) Composition of Methanospirillum hungatii GP 1 during growth on different media. Can J Microbiol 26:577–582

    Google Scholar 

  • Commission on Biochemical Nomenclature (JUPAC-JUB) (1974) The nomenclature of corrinoids. Eur J Biochem 45:7–12

    Google Scholar 

  • Dangel W, Schulz H, Diekert G, König H, Fuchs G (1987) Occurrence of corrinoid-containing membrane proteins in anaerobic bacteria. Arch Microbiol 148:52–56

    Google Scholar 

  • Eikmanns B, Thauer RK (1985) Evidence for the involvement and role of a corrinoid enzyme in methane formation from acetate in Methanosarcina barkeri. Arch Microbiol 142:175–179

    Google Scholar 

  • Friedmann HC, Cagen LM (1970) Microbial biosynthesis of B12-like compounds. Ann Rev Microbiol 159–208

  • Friedrich W (1975) Purin-Cobamide. In: Ammon R, Dirscherl W (eds) Fermente Hormone Vitamine, vol III/2. Thieme, Stuttgart, p 30

    Google Scholar 

  • Fuchs G (1986) CO2 fixation in acetogenic bacteria: Variations on a theme. FEMS Microbiol Rev 39:181–213

    Google Scholar 

  • Fuchs G, Stupperich E (1986) Carbon assimilation pathways in archaebacteria. Syst Appl Microbiol 7:364–369

    Google Scholar 

  • Holder U, Schmidt DE, Stupperich E, Fuchs G (1985) Autotrophic synthesis of activated acetic acid from two CO2 in Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum. III. Evidence for common one carbon precursor pool and the role of corrinoid. Arch Microbiol 141:229–238

    Google Scholar 

  • Höllriegl V, Scherer P, Renz P (1983) Isolation and characterization of the Co-methyl and Co-aquo derivative of 5-hydroxybenzimidazolylcobamide (factor III) from Methanosarcina barkeri grown on methanol. FEBS Lett 151:156–158

    Google Scholar 

  • Hu S-I, Pezacka E, Wood HG (1984) Acetate synthesis from carbon monoxide by Clostridium thermoaceticum. J Biol Chem 259: 8892–8897

    Google Scholar 

  • Irion E, Ljungdahl LG (1965) Isolation of factor IIIm coenzyme and cobyric acid coenzyme plas other B12 factors from Clostridium thermoaceticum. Biochem 4:2780–2790

    Google Scholar 

  • König H, Stetter KO (1982) Isolation and characterization of Methanolobus tindarius, sp. nov., a coccoid methanogen growing only on methanol and methylamines. Zentbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg Abt 1, Orig C 3:478–482

    Google Scholar 

  • Kräutler B, Moll J, Thauer RK (1987) The corrinoid from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum (Marburg strain). Spectroscopic structure analysis and identification as Coβ-cyano-5′-hydroxybenzimidazolyl-cobamide (factor III). Eur J Biochem 162:275–278

    Google Scholar 

  • Kräutler B, Hughes M, Caderas C (1986) Thermal methyl-group transfer between methylcobalt(III)corrinates and cobalt(II)-corrinates. Equilibration experiments with heptamethyl cobyrinates and cobalamins. Helv Chim Acta 69:1571–1575

    Google Scholar 

  • Krzycki J, Zeikus JG (1980) Quantification of corrinoids in methanogenic bacteria. Curr Microbiol 3:243–245

    Google Scholar 

  • Lezius AG, Barker HA (1965) Corrinoid compounds of Methanobacillus omelianskii. I. Fractionation of the corrinoid compounds and identification of factor III coenzyme. Biochem 4:510–518

    Google Scholar 

  • Ljungdahl L (1986) The autotrophic pathway of acetate synthesis in acetogenic bacteria. Ann Rev Microbiol 40:415–450

    Google Scholar 

  • Poirot CM, Kengen SWM, Valk E, Keltjens JT, van der Drift C, Vogels GD (1987) Formation of methylcoenzyme M from formaldehyde by cell-free extracts of Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum. Evidence for the involvement of a corrinoid-containing methyltransferase. FEMS Microbiol Lett 40:7–13

    Google Scholar 

  • Pol A, Gage RA, Neis JM, Reijnen JWM, van der Drift C, Vogels GD (1984) Corrinoids from Methanosarcina barkeri. The β-ligands. Biochim Biophys Acta 797:83–93

    Google Scholar 

  • Scherer P, Sahm H (1981) Effect of trace elements and vitamins on the growth of Methanosarcina barkeri. Acta Biotechnol 1:57–65

    Google Scholar 

  • Schönheit P, Moll J, Thauer RK (1980) Growth parameters (K s, μmax, Y s) of Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum. Arch Microbiol 127:59–65

    Google Scholar 

  • Schulz H, Fuchs G (1986) Cobamide-containing membrane protein complex in Methanobacterium. FEBS Lett 198:279–282

    Google Scholar 

  • Stupperich E, Steiner I, Rühlemann M (1986) Isolation and analysis of bacterial cobamides by high-performance liquid chromatography. Anal Biochem 155:365–370

    Google Scholar 

  • Stupperich E, Steiner I, Eisinger HJ (1987) Substitution of Co α(5-hydroxybenzimidazolyl)cobamide (factor III) by vitamin B12 in Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum. J Bacteriol 169:3076–3081

    Google Scholar 

  • Van der Meijden P, Heythuysen HJ, Powels A, Howen FP, van der Drift C, Vogels GD (1983) Methyltransferases involved in methanol conversion by Methanosarcina barkeri. Arch Microbiol 134:238–242

    Google Scholar 

  • Van der Meijden P, Brommelstroet BW te, Poirot CM, van der Drift C, Vogels GD (1984) Purification and properties of methanol: 5-hydroxybenzimidazolylcobamide methyltransferase from Methanosarcina barkeri. J Bacteriol 160:629–635

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitman WB, Wolfe RS (1984) Purification and analysis of cobamides of Methanobacterium bryantii by high-performance liquid chromatography. Anal Biochem 137:261–265

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitman WB, Ankwanda E, Wolfe RS (1982) Nutrition and carbon metabolism of Methanococcus voltae. J Bacteriol 149:852–863

    Google Scholar 

  • Wood HG, Ragsdale SW, Pezacka E (1986) The acetyl-CoA pathway of autotrophic growth. FEMS Microbiol Rev 39:345–362

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Abteilung Angewandte Mikrobiologie, Universität Ulm, Oberer Eselsberg M23, D-7900, Ulm, Federal Republic of Germany

    Erhard Stupperich

  2. Laboratorium für Organische Chemie der ETH Zürich, Universitätsstrasse 16, CH-8092, Zürich, Switzerland

    Bernhard Kräutler

Authors
  1. Erhard Stupperich
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Bernhard Kräutler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Stupperich, E., Kräutler, B. Pseudo vitamin B12 or 5-hydroxybenzimidazolyl-cobamide are the corrinoids found in methanogenic bacteria. Arch. Microbiol. 149, 268–271 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00422016

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00422016

Key words

Search

Navigation