The radical mechanism of biological methane synthesis by methyl-coenzyme M reductase
Methyl-coenzyme M reductase (MCR), the rate-limiting enzyme in methanogenesis and anaerobic methane oxidation, is responsible for the production of over one billion tons of methane per year. The mechanism of methane synthesis is unknown, with the two leading proposals involving either a methyl-nickel(III) (Mechanism I) or methyl radical/Ni(II)-thiolate (Mechanism II) intermediate(s). When the reaction between the active Ni(I) enzyme with substrates was studied by transient kinetic, spectroscopic and computational methods, formation of an EPR-silent Ni(II)-thiolate intermediate was positively identified by magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy. There was no evidence for an EPR-active methyl-Ni(III) species. Temperature-dependent transient kinetic studies revealed that the activation energy for the initial catalytic step closely matched the value computed by density functional theory for Mechanism II. Thus, our results demonstrate that biological methane synthesis occurs by generation of a methyl radical.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 1342333
- Report Number(s):
- PNNL-SA--114957; 47453; CJ0100000
- Journal Information:
- Science, Journal Name: Science Journal Issue: 6288 Vol. 352; ISSN 0036-8075
- Publisher:
- AAAS
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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