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Biochemistry of Methyl-Coenzyme M Reductase: The Nickel Metalloenzyme that Catalyzes the Final Step in Synthesis and the First Step in Anaerobic Oxidation of the Greenhouse Gas Methane

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The Metal-Driven Biogeochemistry of Gaseous Compounds in the Environment

Part of the book series: Metal Ions in Life Sciences ((MILS,volume 14))

Abstract

Methane, the major component of natural gas, has been in use in human civilization since ancient times as a source of fuel and light. Methanogens are responsible for synthesis of most of the methane found on Earth. The enzyme responsible for catalyzing the chemical step of methanogenesis is methyl-coenzyme M reductase (MCR), a nickel enzyme that contains a tetrapyrrole cofactor called coenzyme F430, which can traverse the Ni(I), (II), and (III) oxidation states. MCR and methanogens are also involved in anaerobic methane oxidation. This review describes structural, kinetic, and computational studies aimed at elucidating the mechanism of MCR. Such studies are expected to impact the many ramifications of methane in our society and environment, including energy production and greenhouse gas warming.

Please cite as: Met. Ions Life Sci. 14 (2014) 125–145

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Acknowledgments

I thank those students, postdoctoral fellows and collaborators who have been working on the biochemistry of methane formation, with special thanks to Dariusz Sliwa for helping to generate Figure 1 for this paper. I gratefully acknowledge support (DE-FG02-08ER15931) from the Chemical Sciences, Geosciences and Biosciences Division, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Office of Science, U.S. Department of Energy and from ARPA-E (DE-AR0000426).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-0606, USA

    Stephen W. Ragsdale

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  1. Stephen W. Ragsdale
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Correspondence to Stephen W. Ragsdale .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Univ. Konstanz Fachbereich Biologie, Konstanz, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

    Peter M.H. Kroneck

  2. Facultad de Química Universidad Autónoma de México, Departamento de Química Inorganica y Nuclear, México, Distrito Federal, Mexico

    Martha E. Sosa Torres

Abbreviations

Abbreviations

ACS:

acetyl-CoA synthase

AOM:

anaerobic oxidation of methane

bce:

before the common era = before Christ

BES:

bromoethanesulfonate

BPS:

bromopropanesulfonate

CNG:

compressed natural gas

CoA:

coenzyme A

CoBSH:

coenzyme B mercaptoheptanoylthreonine phosphate

CODH:

carbon monoxide dehydrogenase

CoMSH:

coenzyme M mercaptoethanesulfonate

DFT:

density functional theory

ENDOR:

electron nuclear double resonance

EPR:

electron paramagnetic resonance

ESEEM:

electron spin echo modulation

EXAFS:

extended X-ray absorption fine structure

HYSCORE:

hyperfine sublevel correlation spectroscopy

LNG:

liquid natural gas

MCD:

magnetic circular dichroism

MCR:

methyl-coenzyme M reductase

NHE:

normal hydrogen electrode

NMR:

nuclear magnetic resonance

SAM:

S-adenosylmethionine

SOD:

superoxide dismutase

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Ragsdale, S.W. (2014). Biochemistry of Methyl-Coenzyme M Reductase: The Nickel Metalloenzyme that Catalyzes the Final Step in Synthesis and the First Step in Anaerobic Oxidation of the Greenhouse Gas Methane. In: Kroneck, P., Torres, M. (eds) The Metal-Driven Biogeochemistry of Gaseous Compounds in the Environment. Metal Ions in Life Sciences, vol 14. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9269-1_6

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