Formylmethanofuran: Tetrahydromethanopterin formyltransferase from <i>Methanosarcina barkeri</i> Identification of <i>N</i>⁵‐formyltetrahydromethanopterin as the product

Abstract

Formylmethanofuran: tetrahydromethanopterin formyltransferase was purified from methanol grown Methanosarcina barkeri to apparent homogeneity and characterized with respect to its molecular and kinetic properties. The enzyme was found to be very similar to the formyltransferase from H2/CO2 grown Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum. It also catalyzed the formation of N5-formyltetrahydromethanopterin rather than of N10-formyltetrahydromethanopterin from formylmethanofuran and tetrahydromethanopterin.