Disease relevance of tetrahydromethanopterin

• How an enzyme binds the C1 carrier tetrahydromethanopterin. Structure of the tetrahydromethanopterin-dependent formaldehyde-activating enzyme (Fae) from Methylobacterium extorquens AM1 [1].
• In this study, the occurrence and chromosomal clustering of genes encoding C(1) transfer reactions linked to tetrahydromethanopterin (H(4)MPT) were analyzed in a variety of proteobacteria and in representatives of the Planctomycetes via genomic analysis or via partial sequencing by cosmid walking [2].
• Formaldehyde dehydrogenase preparations from Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath) comprise methanol dehydrogenase and methylene tetrahydromethanopterin dehydrogenase [3].

High impact information on tetrahydromethanopterin

• Catalytic and thermodynamic properties of tetrahydromethanopterin-dependent serine hydroxymethyltransferase from Methanococcus jannaschii [4].
• The equilibrium favors transfer of the formyl group to tetrahydromethanopterin (H4MPT) at physiological pH [5].
• A mutation in the mch gene, encoding the enzyme 5,10-methenyl tetrahydromethanopterin (H(4)MPT) cyclohydrolase, was constructed in vitro and recombined onto the chromosome of the methanogenic archaeon Methanosarcina barkeri [6].
• In contrast, tetrahydromethanopterin is only weakly bound in a shallow and wide cleft that provides two binding sites [7].
• Twelve other open reading frames were identified on the clone, including the gene encoding beta-ribofuranosylaminobenzene 5'-phosphate synthase, which is involved in the biosynthesis of the 'archaeal' C(1)-carrier, tetrahydromethanopterin, which is also found in methylotrophs [8].

Chemical compound and disease context of tetrahydromethanopterin

• Formaldehyde-detoxifying role of the tetrahydromethanopterin-linked pathway in Methylobacterium extorquens AM1 [9].
• The serine cycle methylotroph Methylobacterium extorquens AM1 contains two pterin-dependent pathways for C(1) transfers, the tetrahydrofolate (H(4)F) pathway and the tetrahydromethanopterin (H(4)MPT) pathway, and both are required for growth on C(1) compounds [10].
• Characterization of two methanopterin biosynthesis mutants of Methylobacterium extorquens AM1 by use of a tetrahydromethanopterin bioassay [11].
• The methylotrophic proteobacterium Methylobacterium extorquens AM1 possesses tetrahydromethanopterin (H(4)MPT)-dependent enzymes, which are otherwise specific to methanogenic and sulfate-reducing archaea and which have been suggested to be involved in formaldehyde oxidation to CO(2) in M. extorquens AM1 [12].
• During growth on one-carbon (C1) compounds, the aerobic alpha-proteobacterium Methylobacterium extorquens AM1 synthesizes the tetrahydromethanopterin (H4MPT) derivative dephospho-H4MPT as a C1 carrier in addition to tetrahydrofolate [13].

Biological context of tetrahydromethanopterin

• Distribution of tetrahydromethanopterin-dependent enzymes in methylotrophic bacteria and phylogeny of methenyl tetrahydromethanopterin cyclohydrolases [12].
• One of the subunits of the complex carries the catalytic site for transfer of the formyl group from tetrahydromethanopterin to methanofuran (MFR) [14].
• This mutant has a C(1)-defective and methanol-sensitive phenotype that has previously only been observed for strains defective in tetrahydromethanopterin (H(4)MPT)-dependent formaldehyde oxidation [15].
• Why methanopterin? Comparative bioenergetics of the reactions catalyzed by methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase and methylene tetrahydromethanopterin reductase [16].

Associations of tetrahydromethanopterin with other chemical compounds

• Hydrogen-forming and coenzyme-F420-reducing methylene tetrahydromethanopterin dehydrogenase are genetically distinct enzymes in Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum (Marburg) [17].
• Autotrophic synthesis of activated acetic acid from CO2 in Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum. Synthesis from tetrahydromethanopterin-bound C1 units and carbon monoxide [18].
• The cofactor specificity of serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT) activities was tested in extracts of several methanogens using tetrahydromethanopterin (H4MPt) from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum Marburg, tetrahydrosarcinapterin (H4SPt) from Methanosarcina barkeri, and tetrahydrofolate (H4folate) as the potential C1 carrier [19].
• Methanopterin and tetrahydromethanopterin derivatives: isolation, synthesis, and identification by high-performance liquid chromatography [20].

Gene context of tetrahydromethanopterin

• Methods have been explored for detection of methylotrophs in natural samples, using environmental primers based on genes involved in the tetrahydromethanopterin (H4MPT)-linked C1 transfer pathway [21].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of tetrahydromethanopterin

• Genes for two enzymes of the tetrahydromethanopterin-linked C(1) transfer pathway (fae and fhcD) were detected in hypersaline, hyperalkaline Mono Lake (California), via PCR amplification and analysis [22].

References