Development of Genetic Engineering of Methanogens. Annual Report August 1984-July 1985

摘要

Formate dehydrogenase is an enzyme central to the production of methane in the bacterium Methanobacterium formicicum. The enzyme is composed of two protein subunits and several cofactors, one of which contains molybdenum. The synthesis of the protein subunits is repressed in the absence of this element. The sequence of the N-terminus of each subunit was determined and the information used to clone the structural genes for these subunits. They are found on a 3.7 kilobase piece of DNA in an orientation consistent with a coordinately controlled operon.