Purification and properties of membrane-bound methane hydroxylase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Methylococcus capsulatus</Emphasis> (Strain M)

Membrane fraction of Methylococcus capsulatus (strain M) were treated with ¹⁴C]acetylene, an affinity label binding to the active center of membrane-bound methane monooxygenase (MMO). High-purity particulate form of methane hydroxylase (pMH) was obtained by ion exchange and hydrophobic chromatography. According to SDS-PAGE data, the enzyme contained three polypeptides with molecular weights of 47 (α), 27 (β), and 25 (γ) kDa in the ratio 1: 1: 1. The radiolabel was contained in the β-subunit of pMH. The protein contained 1 or 2 atoms of nonheme iron and 2–4 atoms of copper per a minimum molecular weight of 99 kDa. This protein did not oxidize methane or propylene in the presence of NADH but was able to oxidize low quantities of methane in the presence of duroquinol. It was established that methanol dehydrogenase (MD) and NADH oxidoreductase (NADH-OR) are peripheral membrane proteins. Possible causes of low activity of high-purity methane hydroxylase are discussed.