Is coenzyme M bound to factor F430 in methanogenic bacteria?

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Abstract
Coenzyme M (2‐mercaptoethane sulfonic acid) and factor F430 (a nickel porphinoid) are coenzymes found in methanogenic bacteria. Recently it has been proposed that in these bacteria a coenzyme MF430 also exists which plays a key role in methane formation and in which coenzyme M and F430 are bound to each other. To test this hypothesis Methanobrevibacter ruminantium, which requires coenzyme M as a vitamin, was grown in the presence of [2‐14C]CoMSH. F430 and ‘CoM’ (mixture of CoMSH and its disulfides) were quantitatively extracted from these cells and from partially purified methyl‐CoM reductase using various methods. The extracts were chromatographed on cellulose or Sephadex G‐10. Under all conditions factor F430 and ‘CoM’ were completely (>99%) separated. There was no indication for the existence of a protein‐free F430 species containing covalently bound coenzyme M in Mb. ruminantium. The results support the structure previously assigned to coenzyme F430.

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