Open AccessThe role of purine degradation in methane biosynthesis and energy production in Methanococcus vannielii. Progress report
Author(s) -
Edward DeMoll
Publication year - 1998
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/674902
Subject(s) - methanococcus , clostridia , methanogenesis , chemistry , biochemistry , stereochemistry , nad+ kinase , biosynthesis , purine , cofactor , glycine , metabolic pathway , enzyme , amino acid , methane , biology , bacteria , archaea , organic chemistry , genetics , gene
Firstly, characterization of a purine degrading pathway in Methanococcus vannielii was determined. The pathway is similar to that described for Clostridia. The M. vannielli pathway differs in a few respects from the Clostridial pathway. The pathway of Clostridia uses tetrahydrofolic acid (THF), whereas the pathway of M. vannielii uses tetrahydromethanopterin (H{sub 4}MPt) as a cofactor in the transfer of both the formimino moiety of formiminoglycine and apparently in the cleavage of glycine by a glycin decarboxylase type mechanism that is dependent upon at least H{sub 4}MPt and either NAD{sup +} or NADP{sup +}. Secondly, the relationship of purine degradation to methanogenesis was investigated