THE ENERGY CONSERVING N-5-METHYLTETRAHYDROMETHANOPTERIN-COENZYME-M METHYLTRANSFERASE COMPLEX FROM METHANOBACTERIUM-THERMOAUTOTROPHICUM IS COMPOSED OF 8 DIFFERENT SUBUNITS

N-5-Methyltetrahydromethanopterin:coenzyme M methyltransferase (Mtr) from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum strain Marburg is a membrane-associated enzyme complex which catalyzes an energy-conserving, sodium-ion-translocating step in methanogenesis from H-2 and CO2. We report here that the complex is composed of eight different subunits for which evidence was obtained at the protein, DNA and RNA levels: (a) SDS/PAGE of the purified complex revealed the presence of eight different polypeptides of apparent molecular masses of 34 (MtrH), 28 (MtrE), 24 (MtrC), 23 (MtrA), 21 (MtrD), 13 (MtrG), 12.5 (MtrB) and 12 kDa (MtrF). The N-terminal amino acid sequences of the 12-, 12.5- and 13-kDa polypeptides, which had previously not been accessible, were determined; (b) cloning acid sequencing of the corresponding genes revealed the presence of the eight mtr genes organized in a 4.9-kbp gene cluster in the order mtrEDCBAFGH; (c) Northern-blot analysis revealed the presence of a 5-kbp transcript. DNA probes derived from the mtrE and mtrH genes hybridized to the transcript, indicating that the eight mtr genes are organized in a transcription unit, By primer extension, the 5' end of the mtrEDCBAFGH mRNA was analyzed. The mtv operon was found to be located between the methyl-coenzyme M reductase I operon (mcr) and a downstream open reading frame predicted to encode a Na+/Ca2+, K+ exchanger.