Tetrahydromethanopterin methyltransferase, a component of the methane synthesizing complex of Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum

Abstract

A new enzyme, tetrahydromethanopterin methyltransferase, which catalyzes the transfer of methyl groups from methyl-tetrahydromethanopterin to 2-mercaptoethane-sulfonate, has been found in the methane synthesizing complex of Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum. The enzyme is oxygen sensitive and has a well defined pH optimum at pH 6.7. There was no methyl group transfer when the enzyme was heated to 100 degrees for 5 min. The product of the forward reaction, methyl-CoM, was positively identified by TLC and high voltage paper electrophoresis. The demethylation of methyl-CoM, in the absence of methane synthesis, was dependent on the addition of H4MPT which suggests that the enzyme reaction is reversible.