Electron transfer pathway regulating methane monooxygenase activity

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25630363
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Catalyst/Resource chemical process
• Research Institution: Tokyo Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: MIYAJI AKIMITSU 東京工業大学, 総合理工学研究科(研究院), 助教 (40452023)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: メタン水酸化 / 生体触媒 / 電子伝達 / 活性酸素

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we investigated the electron transfer pathway from the electron donor in bacteral membrane to the catalytic site of copper-containing methane monooxygenase. We extablished the method for removing a copper ion selectively from the mono-copper site of the copper-containing methane monooxygenase. The copper-deficient methane monooxygenase showed the activity for methane hydroxylation only when duroquinol, which can donate electrons directly to the catalytic site (di-copper site) of the copper-containing methane monooxygenase, was used as the electron donor. This result indicates that mono-copper site plays a role in the elctron mediation from the electron donor in bacterial membtarne to the catalytic site of copper-containing methane monooxygenase.

Free Research Field

生体触媒化学