Year: 1983
Type: article
Abstract: Methane inhibited NH4+ utilization by Nitrosomonas europaea with a Ki of 2mM. O2 consumption was not inhibited. In the absence of NH4+, or with hydrazine as reductant, methane caused nearly a doubling in the rate of O2 uptake. The stimulation was abolished by allylthiourea, a sensitive inhibitor of the oxidation of NH4+. Analysis revealed that methanol was being formed in these experiments, with yields approaching 1 mol of methanol per mol of O2 consumed under certain conditions. When cells were incubated with NH4+ under an atmosphere of 50% methane, 50 microM-methanol was generated in 1 h. It is concluded that methane is an alternative substrate for the NH3-oxidizing enzyme (ammonia mono-oxygenase),m albeit with a much lower affinity than for methane mono-oxygenase of methanotrophs.
Source: Biochemical Journal
DOI: 10.1042/bj2120031
Authors: M R Hyman, P M Wood
Institution: University of Bristol
Language: English
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
Funder: University of Bristol
OpenAlex ID: W77177692