Methyl-coenzyme M reductase

Methyl-coenzyme M reductase
coenzyme-B sulfoethylthiotransferase
Identifiers
EC number 2.8.4.1
Databases
IntEnz IntEnz view
BRENDA BRENDA entry
ExPASy NiceZyme view
KEGG KEGG entry
MetaCyc metabolic pathway
PRIAM profile
PDB structures RCSB PDB PDBe PDBsum
Gene Ontology AmiGO / EGO

Methyl-coenzyme M reductase (MCR) is an enzyme that occurs in archaea. This enzyme catalyzes the formation of methane by combining the hydrogen donor coenzyme B and the methyl donor coenzyme M. Via this enzyme, most of the natural gas on earth was produced. Ruminants (e.g. cows) produce methane because their rumens contain methanogenic bacteria that also rely on this enzyme.

The enzyme has two active sites, each occupied by the nickel-containing F430 cofactor.[1] This conversion is symbolically written as:

CH3-S-CoM + HS-CoB → CH4 + CoB-S-S-CoM

The IUBMB Enzyme Nomenclature accepted name is coenzyme-B sulfoethylthiotransferase (EC 2.8.4.1).[2]

References

  1. ^ Thauer, R. K., "Biochemistry of methanogenesis: a tribute to Marjory Stephenson", Microbiology, 1998, 144, 2377-2406. doi:10.1099/00221287-144-9-2377 PMID 9782487
  2. ^ http://www.chem.qmul.ac.uk/iubmb/enzyme/EC2/8/4/1.html
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