Purification and properties of N5,N10-methylenetetrahydromethanopterin reductase (coenzyme F420-dependent) from the extreme thermophile Methanopyrus kandleri.

Methanopyrus kandleri belongs to a novel group of abyssal methanogenic archaebacteria that can grow at 110 degrees C on H2 and CO2 and that shows no close phylogenetic relationship to any methanogens known so far. N5,N10-Methylenetetrahydromethanopterin reductase, an enzyme involved in methanogenesis from CO2, was purified from this hyperthermophile. The apparent molecular mass of the native enzyme was found to be 300 kDa. Sodium dodecylsulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed the presence of only one polypeptide of apparent molecular mass 38 kDa. The ultraviolet/visible spectrum of the enzyme was almost identical to that of albumin indicating the absence of a chromophoric prosthetic group. The reductase was specific for reduced coenzyme F420 as electron donor; NADH, NADPH or reduced dyes could not substitute for the 5-deazaflavin. The catalytic mechanism was found to be of the ternary complex type as deduced from initial velocity plots. Vmax at 65 degrees C and pH 6.8 was 435 U/mg (kcat = 275 s-1) and the Km for methylenetetrahydromethanopterin and for reduced F420 were 6 microM and 4 microM, respectively. From Arrhenius plots an activation energy of 34 kJ/mol was determined. The Q10 between 40 degrees C and 90 degrees C was 1.5. The reductase activity was found to be stimulated over 100-fold by sulfate and by phosphate. Maximal stimulation (100-fold) was observed at a sulfate concentration of 2.2 M and at a phosphate concentration of 2.5 M. Sodium-, potassium-, and ammonium salts of these anions were equally effective. Chloride, however, could not substitute for sulfate or phosphate in stimulating the enzyme activity. The thermostability of the reductase was found to be very low in the absence of salts. In their presence, however, the reductase was highly thermostable. Salt concentrations between 0.1 M and 1.5 M were required for maximal stability. Potassium salts proved more effective than ammonium salts, and the latter more effective than sodium salts in stabilizing the enzyme activity. The anion was of less importance. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the reductase from M. kandleri was determined and compared with that of the enzyme from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum and Methanosarcina barkeri. Significant similarity was found.