Characterization of recombinant fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase from Methylococcus capsulatus Bath.

The gene fba from the thermotolerant obligate methanotroph Methylococcus capsulatus Bath was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3). The fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase (FBA) carrying six His on the C-end was purified by affinity metal chelating chromatography. The Mc. capsulatus FBA is a hexameric enzyme (240 kDa) that is activated by Co2+ and inhibited by EDTA. The enzyme displays low K(m) to fructose-1,6-bisphosphate (FBP) and higher K(m) to the substrates of aldol condensation, dihydroxyacetone phosphate and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate. The FBA also catalyzes sedoheptulose-1,7-bisphosphate cleavage. The presence of Co2+ in the reaction mixture changes the kinetics of FBP hydrolysis and is accompanied by inhibition of the reaction by 2 mM FBP. Phylogenetically, the Mc. capsulatus enzyme belongs to the type B of class II FBAs showing high identity of translated amino acid sequence with FBAs from autotrophic bacteria. The role of the FBA in metabolism of Mc. capsulatus Bath, which realizes simultaneously three C(1) assimilating pathways (the ribulose monophosphate, the ribulose bisphosphate, and the serine cycles), is discussed.

[Comparative characterization of cultured methane-oxidizing bacteria by serological and molecular methods].

Three stable methane-oxidizing enrichment cultures, SB26, SB31, and SB31A were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy and by serological and molecular techniques. Electron microscopy revealed the presence of both type I and type II methanotrophs in SB31 and SB31A enrichments; only type II methanotrophs were found in SB26 enrichment. Methylosinus trichosporium was detected in all three enrichments by the application of species-specific antibodies. Additionally, Methylocystis echinoides was found in SB26 culture; Methylococcus capsulatus, in SB31 and SB31A; and Methylomonas methanica, in SB31. The analysis with pmoA and nifH gene sequences as phylogenetic markers revealed the presence of Methylosinus/Methylocystis group in all communities. Moreover, the analysis of pmoA sequences revealed the presence of Methylomonas in SB31. Methylocella was detected in SB31 and SB31A enrichments only by nifH analysis. It was concluded that the simultaneous application of different approaches reveals more reliable information on the diversity of methanotrophs.

Primary structure of cytochrome c' of Methylococcus capsulatus Bath: evidence of a phylogenetic link between P460 and c'-type cytochromes.

Cytochrome c' of Methylococcus capsulatus Bath is involved in electron flow from the enzyme responsible for hydroxylamine oxidation, cytochrome P460, to cytochrome C555. This cytochrome is spectrally similar to other cytochromes c' but is larger (16,000 Da) and has a lower midpoint potential (-205 mV). By a combination of Edman degradation, mass spectroscopy, and gene sequencing, we have obtained the primary structure of cytochrome c' from M. capsulatus Bath. The cytochrome shows low sequence similarity to other cytochromes c', only residues R12, Y53, G56, and the C-terminal heme-binding region (GXXCXXCHXXXK) being conserved. In contrast, cytochrome c' from M. capsulatus Bath shows considerable sequence similarity to cytochromes P460 from M. capsulatus Bath (31% identity) and from Nitrosomonas europaea (18% identity). This suggests that P460-type cytochromes may have originated from a c'-type cytochrome which developed a covalent cross-link between a lysine residue and the c'-heme.