Cloning, sequencing and expression of the genes encoding the sodium translocating N5-methyltetrahydromethanopterin:coenzyme M methyltransferase of the methylotrophic archaeon Methanosarcina mazei Go1

The N-5-methyltetrahydromethanopterin:coenzyme M methyltransferase of Methanosarcina mazei Go1 is a membrane-associated, corrinoid-containing protein that uses a transmethylation reaction to drive an energy-conserving sodium ion pump. The eight open reading frames encoding the eight different subunits of the methyltransferase were identified and sequenced. All of these subunits are shown to be heterologously expressed in minicells of the Escherichia coli mutant DK6. Sequence comparisons with the methyltransferases of thermophilic and hypothermophilic methanogenic archaea are presented. The participation of the gene product of mtrD in sodium ion translocation as well as a consensus sequence of a corrinoid binding motif in MtrA are discussed. (C) 1998 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.