Structures and functions of four anabolic 2-oxoacid oxidoreductases in Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum

Eur J Biochem. 1997 Mar 15;244(3):862-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1997.00862.x.

Abstract

Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum (strain Marburg), which grows autotrophically on H2 and CO2, was found to contain 2-oxoisovalerate oxidoreductase (Vor) and indolepyruvate oxidoreductase (Ior) besides pyruvate oxidoreductase (Por) and 2-oxoglutarate oxidoreductase (Kor). So far, Vor and Ior have only been detected in peptide-utilizing hyperthermophilic Archaea. The four 2-oxoacid oxidoreductases were purified and characterized with respect to their subunit composition, N-terminal amino acid sequences, and catalytic properties. Por and Kor were composed of four different subunits, Vor was composed of three different subunits, and Ior of two different subunits. Comparisons of the N-terminal amino acid sequences revealed that the four enzymes are structurally related to each other and to the respective enzymes from Pyrococcus and Thermococcus sp. Vor from M. thermoautotrophicum differed from Vor from Pyrococcus furiosus in being composed of only three instead of four different subunits. Evidence is presented that in the autotrophic methanogen the four 2-oxoacid oxidoreductases have anabolic functions, Vor and Ior being involved in the biosynthesis of amino acids from fatty acids taken up from the growth medium, as shown by 14C-labelling studies.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 3-Methyl-2-Oxobutanoate Dehydrogenase (Lipoamide)
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Ketone Oxidoreductases / chemistry*
  • Ketone Oxidoreductases / genetics
  • Ketone Oxidoreductases / metabolism*
  • Methanobacterium / enzymology*
  • Methanobacterium / genetics
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Molecular Structure
  • Multienzyme Complexes / chemistry
  • Multienzyme Complexes / genetics
  • Multienzyme Complexes / metabolism
  • Phenylacetates / metabolism
  • Protein Conformation
  • Pyruvate Synthase
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid

Substances

  • Multienzyme Complexes
  • Phenylacetates
  • Ketone Oxidoreductases
  • 3-Methyl-2-Oxobutanoate Dehydrogenase (Lipoamide)
  • indolepyruvate ferredoxin oxidoreductase
  • Pyruvate Synthase
  • 2-oxoglutarate synthase
  • phenylacetic acid