Identification of an Enzyme Catalyzing the Conversion of Sulfoacetaldehyde to 2-Mercaptoethanesulfonic Acid in Methanogens

Biochemistry. 2019 Apr 16;58(15):1958-1962. doi: 10.1021/acs.biochem.9b00176. Epub 2019 Apr 5.

Abstract

Coenzyme M is an essential coenzyme for the biochemical production of methane. This Communication reports on the identification of an enzyme catalyzing the last step in the biosynthesis of coenzyme M in methanogens. Data presented here show that the enzyme, derived from mj1681, catalyzes the conversion of the aldehyde functional group of sulfoacetaldehyde into the thiol group of 2-mercaptoethanesulfonic acid. Thus, a putative coenzyme M synthase (comF) has similarities in sequence with both MJ0100 and MJ0099 proteins previously shown to be involved in the biosynthesis of homocysteine [Allen, K. D., et al. (2015) Biochemistry 54, 3129-3132], and both reactions likely proceed by the same mechanism. In the MJ0100-catalyzed reaction, Rauch has proposed [Rauch, B. L. (2017) Biochemistry 56, 1051-1061] that MJ1526 and its homologues in other methanogens likely supply the sulfane sulfur required for the reaction.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetaldehyde / analogs & derivatives*
  • Acetaldehyde / metabolism
  • Biocatalysis
  • Carbon-Oxygen Lyases / metabolism
  • Homocysteine / metabolism
  • Mesna / metabolism*
  • Methane / metabolism*
  • Methanococcus / metabolism*
  • Sulfhydryl Compounds / metabolism
  • Sulfur / metabolism

Substances

  • Sulfhydryl Compounds
  • Homocysteine
  • sulfoacetaldehyde
  • Sulfur
  • Carbon-Oxygen Lyases
  • threonine synthase
  • Acetaldehyde
  • Mesna
  • Methane