A PROTEASOME FROM THE METHANOGENIC ARCHAEON METHANOSARCINA-THERMOPHILA

A 645-kDa proteasome was purified from Methanosarcina thermophila which had chymotrypsin like and peptidylglutamyl-peptide hydrolase activities and contained alpha (24-kDa) and beta (22-kDa) subunits. Processing of both subunits was suggested by comparison of N-terminal sequences with the sequences deduced from the alpha- and beta-encoding genes (psmA and psmB). Alignment of deduced sequences for the alpha and beta subunits revealed high similarity; however, the N-terminal sequence of the alpha subunit contained an additional 24 amino acids that were not present in the beta subunit. The alpha and beta subunits had high sequence identity with alpha- and beta-type subunits of proteasomes from eucaryotic organisms and the distantly related archaeon Thermoplasma acidophilum. The psmB gene was transcribed in vivo as a monocistronic message from a consensus archaeal promoter. The results suggest that proteasomes are more widespread in the Archaea than previously proposed. Southern blotting experiments suggested the presence of ubiquitin-like sequences in M. thermophila.