Factor 420-dependent tyridine nucleotide-linked hydrogenase system of Methanobacterium ruminantium.

Methanobacterium ruminantium was shown to possess a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP)-linked factor 420 (F420)-dependent hydrogenase system. This system was also shown to be present in Methanobacterium strain MOH. The hydrogenase system of M. ruminantium also links directly to F420, flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), flavin mononucleotide (FMN), methyl viologen, and Fe-3 plus. It has a pH optimum of about 8 and an apparent Km for F420 of about 5 x 10-6 M at pH 8 when NADP is the electron acceptor. The F420-NADP oxidoreductase activity is inactive toward nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (nad) and no NADPH:NAD or FADH2(FMNH2):NAD transhydrogenase system was detected. Neither crude ferredoxin nor boiled crude extract of Clostridium pasteuranum could replace F420 in the NADP-linked hydrogenase reaction of M. ruminantium. Also, neitther F420 nor a curde "ferredoxin" fraction from M. ruminantium extracts could substitute for ferredoxin in the pyruvate-ferredoxin oxidoreductase reaction of C. pasteurianum.     

Factor 420-dependent pyridine nucleotide-linked formate metabolism of Methanobacterium ruminantium.

Methanobacterium ruminantium was shown to possess a formate dehydrogenase which is linked to factor 420 (F420) as the first low-molecular-weight or anionic electron transfer coenzyme. Reduced F420 obtained from the formate dehydrogenase can be further linked to the formation of hydrogen via the previously described F420-dependent hydrogenase reaction, thus constituting an apparently simple formate hydrogenlyase system, or to the reduction of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate via F420:nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidoreductase. The results indicate that hydrogen and formate, the only known energy sources for M. ruminantium and many other methanogenic bacteria, should be essentially equivalent as sources of electrons in the metabolism of this organism.     

Relationship of Intracellular Coenzyme F(420) Content to Growth and Metabolic Activity of Methanobacterium bryantii and Methanosarcina barkeri

The use of F(420) as a parameter for growth or metabolic activity of methanogenic bacteria was investigated. Two representative species of methanogens were grown in batch culture: Methanobacterium bryantii (strain M.o.H.G.) on H(2) and CO(2), and Methanosarcina barkeri (strain Fusaro) on methanol or acetate. The total intracellular content of coenzyme F(420) was followed by high-resolution fluorescence spectroscopy. F(420) concentration in M. bryantii ranged from 1.84 to 3.65 mumol . g of protein; and in M. barkeri grown with methanol it ranged from 0.84 to 1.54 mumol . g depending on growth conditions. The content of F(420) in M. barkeri was influenced by a factor of 2 depending on the composition of the medium (minimal or complex) and by a factor of 3 to 4 depending on whether methanol or acetate was used as the carbon source. A comparison of F(420) content with protein, cell dry weight, optical density, and specific methane production rate showed that the intracellular content of F(420) approximately followed the increase in biomass in both strains. In contrast, no correlation was found between specific methane production rate and intracellular F(420) content. However, qCH(4)(F(420)), calculated by dividing the methane production rate by the coenzyme F(420) concentration, almost paralleled qCH(4)(protein). These results suggest that F(420) may be used as a specific parameter for estimating the biomass, but not the metabolic activity, of methanogens; hence qCH(4)(F(420)) determined in mixed populations with complex carbon substrates must be considered as measure of the actual methanogenic activity and not as a measure of potential activity.     

Reconstitution and properties of a coenzyme F420-mediated formate hydrogenlyase system in Methanobacterium formicicum.

Formate hydrogenlyase activity in a cell extract of Methanobacterium formicicum was abolished by removal of coenzyme F420; addition of purified coenzyme F420 restored activity. Formate hydrogenlyase activity was reconstituted with three purified components from M. formicicum: coenzyme F420-reducing hydrogenase, coenzyme F420-reducing formate dehydrogenase, and coenzyme F420. The reconstituted system required added flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) for maximal activity. Without FAD, the formate dehydrogenase and hydrogenase rapidly lost coenzyme F420-dependent activity relative to methyl viologen-dependent activity. Immunoadsorption of formate dehydrogenase or coenzyme F420-reducing hydrogenase from the cell extract greatly reduced formate hydrogenlyase activity; addition of the purified enzymes restored activity. The formate hydrogenlyase activity was reversible, since both the cell extract and the reconstituted system produced formate from H2 plus CO2 and HCO3-.     

Purification and properties of the membrane-associated coenzyme F420-reducing hydrogenase from Methanobacterium formicicum.

The membrane-associated coenzyme F420-reducing hydrogenase of Methanobacterium formicicum was purified 87-fold to electrophoretic homogeneity. The enzyme contained alpha, beta, and gamma subunits (molecular weights of 43,000, 36,700, and 28,800, respectively) and formed aggregates (molecular weight, 1,020,000) of a coenzyme F420-active alpha 1 beta 1 gamma 1 trimer (molecular weight, 109,000). The hydrogenase contained 1 mol of flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), 1 mol of nickel, 12 to 14 mol of iron, and 11 mol of acid-labile sulfide per mol of the 109,000-molecular-weight species, but no selenium. The isoelectric point was 5.6. The amino acid sequence I-N3-P-N2-R-N1-EGH-N6-V (where N is any amino acid) was conserved in the N-termini of the alpha subunits of the F420-hydrogenases from M. formicicum and Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum and of the largest subunits of nickel-containing hydrogenases from Desulfovibrio baculatus, Desulfovibrio gigas, and Rhodobacter capsulatus. The purified F420-hydrogenase required reductive reactivation before assay. FAD dissociated from the enzyme during reactivation unless potassium salts were present, yielding deflavoenzyme that was unable to reduce coenzyme F420. Maximal coenzyme F420-reducing activity was obtained at 55 degrees C and pH 7.0 to 7.5, and with 0.2 to 0.8 M KCl in the reaction mixture. The enzyme catalyzed H2 production at a rate threefold lower than that for H2 uptake and reduced coenzyme F420, methyl viologen, flavins, and 7,8-didemethyl-8-hydroxy-5-deazariboflavin. Specific antiserum inhibited the coenzyme F420-dependent but not the methyl viologen-dependent activity of the purified enzyme.     

Characterization of a new mesophilic,secondary alcohol-utilizing methanogen,Methanobacterium palustre spec. nov. from a peat bog

The isolation and characterization of a new methanogen from a peat bog, Methanobacterium palustre spec. nov., strain F, is described. Strain F grew on H₂/CO₂ and formate in complex medium. It also grew autotrophically on H₂/CO₂. Furthermore, growth on 2-propanol/CO₂ was observed. Methane was formed from CO₂ by oxidation of 2-propanol to acetone or 2-butanol to 2-butanone, but growth on 2-butanol plus CO₂ apparently was too little to be measurable. Similarly, Methanobacterium bryantii M. o. H. and M. o. H. G formed acetone and 2-butanone from 2-propanol and 2-butanol, but no growth was measurable.On the basis of morphological and biochemical features strain F could be excluded from the genus Methanobrevibacter. Due to its cell morphology, lipid composition and polyamine pattern it belonged to the genus Methanobacterium. From known members of this genus strain F could be distinguished either by a different G+C content of the DNA, low DNA-DNA homology with reference strains, lacking serological reactions with anti-S probes and differences in the substrate spectrum.An alcohol dehydrogenase activity, specific for secondary alcohols and its substrate specificity was determined in crude extracts of strain F. NADP⁺ was the only electron carrier that was utilized. No reaction was found with NAD⁺, F₄₂₀, FMN and FAD.Abbreviations NAD⁺ nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide - NADH₂ reduced form of NAD⁺ - NADP⁺ nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate - NADPH₂ reduced form of NADP⁺ - FMN flavin adenine mononucleotide - FAD flavin adenine dinucleotide - ADH alcohol dehydrogenase - F₄₂₀ 8-hydroxy-7,8-didemethyl-5-deazaflavin - SSC standard saline citrate (0.15 M NaCl, 0.015 M trisodium citrate, pH 7.5)     

Solubilization and properties of a particulate hydrogenase from Methanobacterium strain G2R.

Mechanical disruption of cells of Methanobacterium strain G2R resulted in a 78-fold increase in the specific activity of the hydrogenase as measured by the benzyl viologen reduction assay. Approximately 50% of the activity in disrupted cells was associated with the particulate fraction. Between 69 and 85% of the particulate hydrogenase was released by treatment with the detergents Triton X-100, deoxycholate, and octyl-beta-d-glucopyranoside. The relative electrophoretic mobilities of the soluble hydrogenases were identical, indicating that G2R possessed a single electrophoretically distinct hydrogenase. The particulate enzyme was inactivated by oxygen and could be reactivated with dithionite or glucose plus glucose oxidase. The enzyme had a pH optimum of 8.5 and resisted heating at 52 but not 77 degrees C. A number of nonspecific dyes, flavin adenine dinucleotide, and riboflavin 5'-phosphate were effective electron acceptors; oxidized nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate, and factor 420 were apparently not reduced. Hydrogenase activity was inhibited by p-hydroxymercuribenzoate, cyanide, chloroform, and chloramphenicol. The molecular weight of the solubilized enzyme was 900,000, with subunits of molecular weights 38,500, 50,700, and approximately 80,000. It is suggested that, in intact cells of G2R, the large hydrogenase complex is loosely bound to the cell wall or membrane.     

Acetate assimilation pathway of Methanosarcina barkeri.

The pathway of acetate assimilation in Methanosarcina barkeri was determined from analysis of the position of label in alanine, aspartate, and glutamate formed in cells grown in the presence of [14C]acetate and by measurement of enzyme activities in cell extracts. The specific radioactivity of glutamate from cells grown on [1-14C]- or [2-14C]acetate was approximately twice that of aspartate. The methyl and carboxyl carbons of acetate were incorporated into aspartate and glutamate to similar extents. Degradation studies revealed that acetate was not significantly incorporated into the C1 of alanine, C1 or C4 of aspartate, or C1 of glutamate. The C5 of glutamate, however, was partially derived from the carboxyl carbon of acetate. Cell extracts were found to contain the following enzyme activities, in nanomoles per minute per milligram of protein at 37 degrees C: F420-linked pyruvate synthase, 170; citrate synthase, 0.7; aconitase, 55; oxidized nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-linked isocitrate dehydrogenase, 75; and oxidized nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-linked malate dehydrogenase, 76. The results indicate that M. barkeri assimilates acetate into alanine and aspartate via pyruvate and oxaloacetate and into glutamate via citrate, isocitrate, and alpha-ketoglutarate. The data reveal differences in the metabolism of M. barkeri and Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum and similarities in the assimilation of acetate between M. barkeri and other anaerobic bacteria, such as Clostridium kluyveri.     

Levels of coenzyme F420, coenzyme M, hydrogenase, and methylcoenzyme M methylreductase in acetate-grown Methanosarcina

Methanosarcina barkeri strain 227 maintained on an acetate medium for 2 years was found to possess hydrogenase, methylcoenzyme M methylreductase, coenzyme F420, and coenzyme M. The levels of these constituents in acetate-grown cells were similar to those found in cells of the same strain grown on methanol or hydrogen and carbon dioxide.     

Levels of coenzyme F420, coenzyme M, hydrogenase, and methylcoenzyme M methylreductase in acetate-grown Methanosarcina.

Methanosarcina barkeri strain 227 maintained on an acetate medium for 2 years was found to possess hydrogenase, methylcoenzyme M methylreductase, coenzyme F420, and coenzyme M. The levels of these constituents in acetate-grown cells were similar to those found in cells of the same strain grown on methanol or hydrogen and carbon dioxide.     

Changes in concentrations of coenzyme F420 analogs during batch growth of Methanosarcina barkeri and Methanosarcina mazei

Coenzyme F420 has been assayed by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorimetric detection; this permits quantification of individual coenzyme F420 analogs whilst avoiding the inclusion of interfering material. The total intracellular coenzyme F420 content of Methanosarcina barkeri MS cultivated on methanol and on H2-CO2 and of Methanosarcina mazei S-6 cultured on methanol remained relatively constant during batch growth. The most abundant analogs in M. barkeri were coenzymes F420-2 and F420-4, whilst in M. mazei coenzymes F420-2 and F420-3 predominated. Significant changes in the relative proportions of the coenzyme F420 analogs were noted during batch growth, with coenzymes F420-2 and F420-4 showing opposite responses to each other and the same being also true for coenzymes F420-3 and F420-5. This suggests that an enzyme responsible for transferring pairs of glutamic acid residues may be active. The degradation fragment FO was also detected in cells in late exponential and stationary phase. Coenzyme F420 analogs were present in the culture supernatant of both methanogens, in similar proportions to that in the cells, except for FO which was principally located in the supernatant.     

Changes in concentrations of coenzyme F420 analogs during batch growth of Methanosarcina barkeri and Methanosarcina mazei.

Coenzyme F420 has been assayed by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorimetric detection; this permits quantification of individual coenzyme F420 analogs whilst avoiding the inclusion of interfering material. The total intracellular coenzyme F420 content of Methanosarcina barkeri MS cultivated on methanol and on H2-CO2 and of Methanosarcina mazei S-6 cultured on methanol remained relatively constant during batch growth. The most abundant analogs in M. barkeri were coenzymes F420-2 and F420-4, whilst in M. mazei coenzymes F420-2 and F420-3 predominated. Significant changes in the relative proportions of the coenzyme F420 analogs were noted during batch growth, with coenzymes F420-2 and F420-4 showing opposite responses to each other and the same being also true for coenzymes F420-3 and F420-5. This suggests that an enzyme responsible for transferring pairs of glutamic acid residues may be active. The degradation fragment FO was also detected in cells in late exponential and stationary phase. Coenzyme F420 analogs were present in the culture supernatant of both methanogens, in similar proportions to that in the cells, except for FO which was principally located in the supernatant.     

8-Hydroxy-5-deazaflavin-reducing hydrogenase from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum: 1. Purification and characterization

The 8-hydroxy-5-deazaflavin (coenzyme F420) reducing hydrogenase from the obligate anaerobe Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum delta H has been purified 41-fold to apparent homogeneity. The major active enzyme form is a high molecular weight aggregate of Mr ca. 800,000, composed of three subunits, alpha (Mr 47K), beta (Mr 31K), and gamma (Mr 26K). The hydrogenase is purified aerobically in reversibly inhibited form, and conditions for anaerobic reductive activation with H2, high salt, thiols, and electron acceptors have been defined. The minimal species transferring electrons from H2 to coenzyme F420 appears to be an alpha beta delta (Mr 115K) complex. The tightly associated redox cofactors per 115K species are 0.6-0.7 nickel atom, 0.8-0.9 flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), and 13-14 iron atoms in iron-sulfur centers. The subunits have been separated by denaturing gel electrophoresis, which has permitted determination of amino acid composition, subunit N-terminal sequencing, and preparation of subunit-directed antibodies. There is iron associated with the alpha-subunit, but placement of the nickel and FAD has not been established.     

Immunocytochemical localization of the coenzyme F420-reducing hydrogenase in Methanosarcina barkeri Fusaro.

The cytological localization of the 8-hydroxy-5-deazaflavin (coenzyme F420)-reducing hydrogenase of Methanosarcina barkeri Fusaro was determined by immunoelectron microscopy, using a specific polyclonal rabbit antiserum raised against the homogeneous deazaflavin-dependent enzyme. In Western blot (immunoblot) experiments this antiserum reacted specifically with the native coenzyme F420-reducing hydrogenase, but did not cross-react with the coenzyme F420-nonreducing hydrogenase activity also detectable in crude extracts prepared from methanol-grown Methanosarcina cells. Immunogold labelling of ultrathin sections of anaerobically fixed methanol-grown cells from the exponential growth phase revealed that the coenzyme F420-reducing hydrogenase was predominantly located in the vicinity of the cytoplasmic membrane. From this result we concluded that the deazaflavin-dependent hydrogenase is associated with the cytoplasmic membrane in intact cells of M. barkeri during growth on methanol as the sole methanogenic substrate, and a possible role of this enzyme in the generation of the electrochemical proton gradient is discussed.     

Methane formation and methane oxidation by methanogenic bacteria.

Methanogenic bacteria were found to form and oxidize methane at the same time. As compared to the quantity of methane formed, the amount of methane simultaneously oxidized varied between 0.3 and 0.001%, depending on the strain used. All the nine tested strains of methane producers (Methanobacterium ruminantium, Methanobacterium strain M.o.H., M. formicicum, M. thermoautotrophicum, M. arbophilicum, Methanobacterium strain AZ, Methanosarcina barkeri, Methanospirillum hungatii, and the "acetate organism") reoxidized methane to carbon dioxide. In addition, they assimilated a small part of the methane supplied into cell material. Methanol and acetate also occurred as oxidation products in M. barkeri cultures. Acetate was also formed by the "acetate organism," a methane bacterium unable to use methanogenic substrates other than acetate. Methane was the precursor of the methyl group of the acetate synthesized in the course of methane oxidation. Methane formation and its oxidation were inhibited equally by 2-bromoethanesulfonic acid. Short-term labeling experiments with M. thermoautotrophicum and M. hungatii clearly suggest that the pathway of methane oxidation is not identical with a simple back reaction of the methane formation process.     

Methanococcus jannaschii coenzyme F420 analogs contain a terminal alpha-linked glutamate

Analyses of the F(420)s present in Methanococcus jannaschii have shown that these cells contain a series of gamma-glutamyl-linked F(420)s capped with a single, terminal alpha-linked L-glutamate. The predominant form of F(420) was designated as alpha-F(420)-3 and represented 86% of the F(420)s in these cells. Analyses of Methanosarcina thermophila, Methanosarcina barkeri, Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum, Archaeoglobus fulgidus, and Mycobacterium smegmatis showed that they contained only gamma-glutamyl-linked F(420)s.     

Hydrolysis and reduction of factor 390 by cell extracts of Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum (strain delta H).

Cell extracts of Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum (strain delta H) were found to perform a hydrogen-dependent reduction of factor 390 (F390), the 8-adenylyl derivative of coenzyme F420. Upon resolution of cell extracts, F390-reducing activity copurified with the coenzyme F420-dependent hydrogenase. This indicates that F390 serves as a substrate of that enzyme. Activity towards F390 was approximately 40-fold lower than that towards coenzyme F420 (0.12 and 5.2 mumol.min-1.mg of protein-1, respectively). In addition, cell extracts catalyzed the hydrolysis of F390 to AMP and coenzyme F420. This hydrolysis required the presence of thiols (6 mM) and much ionic strength (1 M KCl) and was reversibly inhibited by oxygen. The reaction proceeded optimally at pH 8.2 and was Mn dependent. Conditions for F390 hydrolysis in cell extracts are in many respects opposite to those previously described for F390 synthesis.     

Isolation of methanogens from Arabian sea sediments and their salt tolerance

Abstract Sea sediments in tropical regions have been less studied for methanogenesis and methanogens present therein. Three species of methanogens viz. Methanobacterium bryantii, Methanococcus voltae and Methanosarcina barkeri were isolated from Arabian sea sediments collected near the west coast of India. Maximum methane was formed by M. voltae at 3.0% (w/v) NaCl and other two methanogens at 0.06% (w/v) NaCl. M. bryantii and M. barkeri tolerated 2.5 and 3.0% (w/v) NaCl respectively due to which these methanogens must have survived in salt conditions of the sea sediments.     

Isolation and properties of a fluorescent compound, factor 420 , from Methanobacterium strain M.o.H

A new fluorescent compound, factor(420) (F(420)), which is involved in the hydrogen metabolism of hydrogen-grown Methanobacterium strain M.o.H. has been isolated and purified. Acid hydrolysis of this compound with 6 m HCl for 24 hr releases a ninhydrin-positive compound (glutamic acid), an acid-stable chromophore, phosphate, and an ether-soluble phenolic component. Factor(420) may be reduced by either sodium dithionite or sodium borohydride at pH 7.3 with concomitant loss of its fluorescence and its major absorption peak at 420 nm. Crude cell-free extracts of strain M.o.H. reduce F(420) only under a hydrogen atmosphere. F(420) is photolabile aerobically in neutral and basic solutions, whereas the acid-stable chromophore is not photolabile under these conditions. An approximate molecular weight of 630 +/- 8% for F(420) was determined by Sephadex G-25 chromatography. At the present time, F(420) is proposed as a trivial name for the unknown fluorescent compound because of its strong absorption maximum of 420 nm at pH 7.     

FAD requirement for the reduction of coenzyme F420 by hydrogenase from Methanobacterium formicicum

Hydrophobic interaction chromatography of coenzyme F420-reducing hydrogenase purified from Methanobacterium formicicum depleted protein-bound FAD and eliminated the ability to reduce coenzyme F420. Preincubation of the FAD-depleted hydrogenase with FAD restored 85% of the coenzyme F420-reducing activity. FMN did not replace FAD. A Kd of 12 microM was estimated for FAD. Analysis of the reactivated hydrogenase following molecular sieve column chromatography showed that FAD was bound to protein. The results indicate that protein-bound FAD is reversibly removed from the coenzyme F420-reducing hydrogenase and that this flavin is required for the reduction of coenzyme F420.