Open AccessAn unusual formaldehyde oxidizing system in Rhodococcus erythropolis grown on compounds containing methyl groups
Author(s) -
Eggeling Lothar,
Sahm Hermann
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1984.tb01467.x
Subject(s) - formaldehyde , chemistry , rhodococcus , cofactor , oxidizing agent , dehydrogenase , bacteria , formaldehyde dehydrogenase , nad+ kinase , substrate (aquarium) , biochemistry , glutathione , methyl group , organic chemistry , enzyme , biology , group (periodic table) , ecology , genetics
During utilization of compounds containing methyl groups, the non‐methylotrophic bacteria Rhodococcus erythropolis oxidized the methyl groups entirely to carbon dioxide. This oxidation was linked to the presence of an NAD‐dependent formaldehyde dehydrogenase activity which was lost on dialysis. The activity could be restored by the addition of boiled extract but not by adding the known cofactors glutathione or tetrahydrofolate. A further dehydrogenase activity with formaldehyde as substrate was found in ethanolgrown cells. This activity could be differentiated from that in methyl group metabolizing cells.