Properties of the particulate enzyme F420-reducing hydrogenase isolated from Methanospirillum hungatei

Abstract

F420-reducing hydrogenase was isolated from spheroplast lysates of Methanospirillum hungatei by sedimentation, followed by sucrose gradient centrifugations and gel filtration. These procedures resulted in a preparation free of methyl reductase and cytoplasmic membranes. The hydrogenase was a brown protein with an absorption spectrum characteristic for a nonheme iron protein. In electron micrographs it was a coin-shaped, multisubunit protein complex of 15.9 nm diameter with a central depression on one surface. On phenyl Sepharose chromatography the hydrogenase exhibited hydrophobic properties. The holoenzyme was about 720 kilodaltons (kDa), composed of 50.7 and 30.7 kDa subunits in a ratio of 1:3. Each enzyme particle contained 6 or 7 Ni2+ atoms. H2-dependent reduction of F420 activity was readily, but transiently, reactivated by anaerobic conditions following exposure of the enzyme to air. Mg2+ or Ca2+ were stimulatory, but added FAD was not required. Antibody raised against the purified hydrogenase of strain GP1 gave a negative reaction with extracts of nine other methanogens and a reaction of identity with strain JF1 and Methanosarcina barkeri MS. Direct comparisons with the hyrogenase from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum ΔH revealed striking differences in subunit composition and in the acidity of the holoenzyme.