S-formylglutathione hydrolase of Paracoccus denitrificans is homologous to human esterase D: A universal pathway for formaldehyde detoxification?

Dowstream of flhA, the Paracoccus denitrificans gene encoding glutathione-dependent formaldehyde dehydrogenase, an open reading frame was identified and called fghA. The gene product of fghA showed appreciable similarity With human esterase D and,vith the deduced amino acid sequences of open reading frames found in Escherichia coli, Haemophilus influenzae, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Mutating fghA strongly reduced S-formylglutathione hydrolase activity, The mutant was unable to grow on methanol and methylamine, indicating that the enzyme is essential for methglotrophic growth. S-Formylglutathione hydrolase appears to be part of a formaldehyde detoxification pathway that is universal in nature.