FORMYLMETHANOFURAN - TETRAHYDROMETHANOPTERIN FORMYLTRANSFERASE AND N-5, N-10-METHYLENETETRAHYDROMETHANOPTERIN DEHYDROGENASE FROM THE SULFATE-REDUCING ARCHAEOGLOBUS-FULGIDUS - SIMILARITIES WITH THE ENZYMES FROM METHANOGENIC ARCHAEA

The sulfate-reducing Archaeoglobus fulgidus contains a number of enzymes previously thought to be unique for methanogenic Archaea. The purification and properties of two of these enzymes, of formylmethanofuran: tetrahydromethanopterin formyltransferase and of N5,N10-methylenetetrahydromethanopterin dehydrogenase (coenzyme F420 dependent) are described here. A comparison of the N-terminal amino acid sequences and of other molecular properties with those of the respective enzymes from three methanogenic Archaea revealed a high degree of similarity.