GENERAL MICROBIOLOGY - T.P. Pirog - 2004

12. METABOLIC ACTIVITY OF AEROBIC HETEROTROPHS

12.2. GROWTH ON REDUCED C1 COMPOUNDS (METHANE, METHANOL)

12.2.1. Energy metabolism of methanotrophs

Obviously, during growth on methane, reducing equivalents for the Respiratory Chain can be obtained exclusively via The oxidation of methane (CH4 to CO2), since under these conditions acetyl-CoA—required for oxidation in the TCA cycle—is not formed. Methane oxidation proceeds as follows:

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Initially, methane is oxidized to methanol by methane monooxygenase. The oxidation of methanol to formaldehyde (catalyzed by methanol dehydrogenase, which predominantly contains PQQ as a prosthetic group and is thus a PQQ-dependent enzyme) and of formaldehyde to formate (catalyzed by formaldehyde dehydrogenase) is coupled with the reduction of the electron carrier X to XH2. It is suggested that cytochrome c serves as such an electron carrier during methanol oxidation. Finally, the formate dehydrogenase reaction yields the NADH required for the initial stage of methane oxidation.



Last update: 12/08/2026

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