Formylmethanofuran dehydrogenase from methanogenic bacteria, a molybdoenzyme

Formylmethanofuran dehydrogenase, a key enzyme of methanogenesis, was purified 100-fold from methanol grown Methanosarcina barkeri to apparent homogeneity and a specific activity of 34 mumol.min-1.mg protein-1. Molybdenum was found to co-migrate with the enzyme activity. The molybdenum content of purified preparations was 3-4 nmol per mg protein equal to 0.6-0.8 mol molybdenum per mol enzyme of apparent molecular mass 200 kDa. Evidence is presented that also formylmethanofuran dehydrogenase from H2/CO2 grown Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum (strain Marburg) is a molybdoenzyme.