大肠杆菌异源表达pmoB及催化甲烷氧化生成甲醇的研究

颗粒甲烷单加氧酶(pMMO)是甲烷氧化菌中催化甲烷氧化生成甲醇的一种酶.Methylococcus capsulatus IMV3021的pMMO活性位点是pmoB亚基,该亚基是一种可溶性蛋白.我们研究将pmoB亚基进行异源表达及生物催化活性的验证.当培养基中烟酰胺腺嘌呤二核苷酸(NADH)浓度为5 mmol/L时,可以观察到异源表达pmoB亚基具有催化甲烷氧化成甲醇活性,生成甲醇浓度为1.04 mmol/L.研究pMMO活性对于开发能直接将甲烷转化成甲醇的新型、环保催化剂有非常重要意义.     

甲烷单加氧酶活性化合物的体外重构

甲烷氧化菌中甲烷单加氧酶既能催化甲烷转化为甲醇,也能降解小分子含氯有机物.将甲烷单加氧酶组分进行基因重组表达,利用表达的组分重构酶活性化合物,测定了重构化合物的丙烯环氧化活性及对三氯乙烯和三氯甲烷的降解.结果显示:经过30℃、220 r/min、20 min降解,约有52%的三氯乙烯被降解;在32℃、220 r/min、8 h反应条件下,约有26%的三氯甲烷被降解;表明甲烷单加氧酶亚基组分表达正确,能够在微生物体外重构活性化合物.     

甲烷直接氧化制甲醇Ⅲ．反应气吹扫催化膜反应器（RSCMR）

用溶胶－凝胶法制备了“ＳｉＯ＿２／陶瓷”非对称无机膜，并用该膜制备了反应气吹扫催化膜反应器（ＲＳＣＭＲ）装置。在ＲＳＣＭＲ上考察了甲烷一步催化氧化制甲醇反应。结果表明，在研究的范围内，增加氧气或甲烷的浓度和吹扫气的流速（即总的反应气流量）有利于提高甲醇的收率；甲醇在反应条件下的热不稳定性是影响目标反应选择性的重要原因。ＲＳＣＭＲ较膜反应器（ＣＭＲ）系统能更有效地抑制甲醇的热分解，因而可得到较ＣＭＲ更高的甲醇收率。当反应温度为７００℃时，甲醇的收率在ＣＭＲ中为０．５ｇ／ｍ￣２ｈ，在ＲＳＣＭＲ中可达０．９ｇ／ｍ￣２ｈ。     

甲基弯菌IMV 3011整细胞催化甲烷氧化合成甲醇的研究

研究了在甲基弯菌（Methylosimus trichosporium)IMV 3011整细胞催化甲烷制甲醇的反应过程中，菌体浓度、阻断剂乙二胺四乙酸（ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid,简称EDTA）浓度、外源性电子给体、混合气组分及压力与甲醇积累的关系。批式反应的实验结果表明，在菌体浓度为7.4mg/mL时，以2mmol/L EDTA作阻断剂效果最好；作为电子给体，甲酸钠（20mmol/L)的效果优于琥珀酸钠（40mmol/L)，使用前者时的甲醇积累量是用后者时的2.8倍左右；当甲烷与空气的体积比为1：1.7时，转化率为6.0%，甲醇积累量最大；压力选用0.16MPa。连续反应中，于培养基中无铜离子培养的细胞与有铜离子的相比，持续时间长，甲醇积累高（最大产量达374μmol),前者是后者的2倍。     

甲烷直接氧化制甲醇：Ⅱ.催化膜反应器（CMR）

采用溶胶－凝胶（Ｓｏｌ－Ｇｅｌ）法制备了微孔结构均匀的“ＳｉＯ２／陶瓷”膜和“Ｍｏ－Ｃｏ－Ｏ／ＳｉＯ２／陶瓷”催化功能膜，并用ＸＲＤ、ＳＥＭ和孔径测定等技术进行了表征。在常压，５００～７００℃的条件下，在催化膜反应器（ＣＭＲ）中考察了甲烷氧化制甲醇的反应。在相似的反应条件下（转化率为１．０％），用ＣＭＲ（甲醇选择性１?．２％）可获得较固定床反应器（甲醇选择性４．５％）高得多的甲醇选择性。     

颗粒性甲烷单加氧酶分离纯化方法的研究进展

颗粒性甲烷单加氧酶(pMMO)是甲烷氧化菌的特征酶之一,在生物催化方面具有广泛的应用前景,但由于其内膜蛋白的性质以及纯化过程中的不稳定性,使其生物化学性质、金属活性位点等方面仍存在许多未知和争议.着重总结了颗粒性甲烷单加氧酶的分离纯化方法,并对其活性以及与甲烷氧化菌素-Cu(methanobactin-Cu)和其他物质之间的作用关系进行了概述,以促进颗粒性甲烷单加氧酶的深入研究和应用.     

甲烷氧化细菌催化二氧化碳生物合成甲醇的研究

甲烷氧化细菌中包含的甲烷单加氧酶(MMO)、甲醇脱氢酶(ADH)、甲醛脱氢酶(FaldDH)、甲酸脱氢酶(FateDH)经过一系列反应能够把甲烷深度氧化生成二氧化碳，并生成一定的能量物质．把二氧化碳还原为甲醇是一个需要能量的过程，目前还没有已知的有机体在温和条件下完成这一反应．研究发现，甲基弯菌Methylosi-nus trichosporium IMV 3011可以催化二氧化碳生物转化生成甲醇．在休眠的悬浮细胞中充人二氧化碳后，反应一段时间在反应液中检测到了甲醇．二氧化碳转化成甲醇是一个需要能量推动的反应，为了补充反应所消耗的能量．反应一段时间后需要用甲烷进行再生，以恢复细胞中的还原当量NADH．我们进行了反应再生的交替连续批式反应，甲醇积累量能够维持在一个比较稳定的水平．理论上，反应不会增加温室效应，这是一个有效的、环境友好的、可恢复的反应过程．     

大肠杆菌乙酰羟基酸合成酶Ⅰ和Ⅲ同源及异源催化亚基与调控亚基的相互作用

本文采用表面等离子体共振技术（SPR）对大肠杆菌来源的乙酰羟基酸合成酶（Acetohydroxyacid synthase，AHAS）Ⅰ和Ⅲ同源及异源催化亚基与调控亚基的相互作用进行了研究．研究结果表明。AHASI催化亚基与调控亚基的结合（Ko=1．13×101mol／L）比AHASIII的亚基结合要强（KD=5．29×10^-7mol／L）．在异源的催化亚基和调控亚基间观察到很强的结合作用，并且调控亚基对异源催化亚基的活性也有激活作用．SPR与酶动力学研究结果表明，异源重组酶的动力学性质与同源重组酶的性质相似．这表明AHAS Ⅰ的调控亚基可以用ALIAS Ⅲ的调控亚基替换，反之亦然．本文的研究工作有助于更深入理解AHAS的调控机制．     

甲烷直接氧化制甲醇Ⅱ．催化膜反应器（CMR）

采用溶胶－凝胶（Ｓｏｌ－Ｇｅｌ）法制备了微孔结构均匀的“ＳｉＯ＿２／陶瓷”膜和“Ｍｏ－Ｃｏ－·Ｏ／ＳｉＯ＿２／陶瓷”催化功能膜，并用ＸＲＤ、ＳＥＭ和孔径测定等技术进行了表征。在常压、５００～７００℃的条件下，在催化膜反应器（ＣＭＲ）中考察了甲烷氧化制甲醇的反应。在相似的反应条件下（转化率为１．０％），用ＣＭＲ（甲醇选择性１１．２％）可获得较固定床反应器（甲醇选择性４．５％）高得多的甲醇选择性。     

甲醇驱动的环氧丙烷连续生物合成

采用甲醇蒸气作为碳源对甲基弯菌IMV 3011进行驯化培养,然后逐渐增加液态甲醇的浓度使其适应,得到了能耐受甲醇(φ(MeOH)=1%)的甲基弯菌IMV 3011.对甲基弯菌IMV 3011进行甲烷-甲醇共培养可得到大量具有甲烷单加氧酶(MMO)活性的细胞.研究了添加甲醇对甲基弯菌IMV 3011生长和MMO活性的影响,发现甲醇能够促进甲基弯菌IMV3011的生长.在批式反应器中,添加甲醇能够提高甲基弯菌IMV 3011的催化环氧化能力,说明甲醇可以作为电子供体通过再生辅酶NADH驱动环氧丙烷合成.考察了在膜反应器中用细胞悬浮液连续合成环氧丙烷的可行性.结果表明,通过192 h连续抽提产物环氧丙烷,避免了其对环氧化反应的抑制,流出液中环氧丙烷的浓度仍保持在1.35 mmol/L左右.     

Evidence for oxygen binding at the active site of particulate methane monooxygenase

Particulate methane monooxygenase (pMMO) is an integral membrane metalloenzyme that converts methane to methanol in methanotrophic bacteria. The enzyme consists of three subunits, pmoB, pmoA, and pmoC, organized in an α(3)β(3)γ(3) trimer. Studies of intact pMMO and a recombinant soluble fragment of the pmoB subunit (denoted as spmoB) indicate that the active site is located within the soluble region of pmoB at the site of a crystallographically modeled dicopper center. In this work, we have investigated the reactivity of pMMO and spmoB with oxidants. Upon reduction and treatment of spmoB with O(2) or H(2)O(2) or pMMO with H(2)O(2), an absorbance feature at 345 nm is generated. The energy and intensity of this band are similar to those of the μ-η(2):η(2)-peroxo-Cu(II)(2) species formed in several dicopper enzymes and model compounds. The feature is not observed in inactive spmoB variants in which the dicopper center is disrupted, consistent with O(2) binding to the proposed active site. Reaction of the 345 nm species with CH(4) results in the disappearance of the spectroscopic feature, suggesting that this O(2) intermediate is mechanistically relevant. Taken together, these observations provide strong new support for the identity and location of the pMMO active site.     

Mössbauer studies of the membrane-associated methane monooxygenase from Methylococcus capsulatus bath: evidence for a Diiron center

Two methane monooxygenase (MMO) systems have been identified in methanotrophic bacteria, namely, a soluble or cytoplasmic MMO and a membrane-associated or particulate MMO. The active site of the well-characterized soluble MMO contains a bis-mu-hydroxo-bridged diiron cluster. X-ray crystallographic studies of the particulate enzyme, pMMO, have identified two copper centers on the alpha subunit (pmoB) of the alphabetagamma trimer and a site at the interface of the betagamma subunits filled by a Zn, apparently from the crystallization buffer. In our hands, pMMO preparations containing 1-2 iron atoms per alphabetagamma show the highest catalytic activity. We have employed M?ssbauer spectroscopy to characterize the iron in our preparations. Interestingly, we find in pMMO a component with the same spectral properties as the antiferromagnetically coupled diiron(III) cluster in the soluble enzyme. In whole cells, we find nearly 1 diiron center per alphabetagamma of pMMO; in purified enzyme preparations, only 10% of the sites appear to be occupied. These occupancies correlate well with the measured specific activities of purified pMMO and pMMO in whole cells. We suggest that it is the "Zn site" that accommodates the diiron center in active pMMO.     

The quest for the particulate methane monooxygenase active site

Particulate methane monooxygenase is a copper-containing, membrane-bound metalloenzyme that converts methane to methanol in Nature. How pMMO accomplishes this difficult reaction under ambient conditions is one of the major unsolved problems in bioinorganic chemistry. Despite considerable research efforts in the past 20 years, the active site of the enzyme remains unknown. We recently solved the first crystal structure of pMMO to 2.8 è resolution, revealing the overall structure, oligomerization state, subunit ratio, and composition and location of the metal centers. Almost none of the key structural features were predicted. In this Perspective, we review the state of knowledge before and after the structure determination, emphasizing elucidation of the pMMO active site.     

Role of iron and copper in particulate methane monooxygenase of Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b

The role of iron and copper in particulate methane monooxygenase (pMMO) of Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b is described, and an overview of the enzyme's properties is presented. The pMMO from M. trichosporium OB3b was solubilized in the detergent n-dodecyl--D-maltoside and purified by chromatographic techniques. The enzyme consists of 0.9 iron atoms and 12.8 copper atoms per molecule. The iron site in pMMO may be mononuclear non-heme iron. Copper exists as either copper ion coupled to four nitrogen atoms and/or trinuclear copper cluster wherein copper ions are ferromagnetically coupled.     

Characterization of the particulate methane monooxygenase metal centers in multiple redox states by X-ray absorption spectroscopy

The integral membrane enzyme particulate methane monooxygenase (pMMO) converts methane, the most inert hydrocarbon, to methanol under ambient conditions. The 2.8-A resolution pMMO crystal structure revealed three metal sites: a mononuclear copper center, a dinuclear copper center, and a nonphysiological mononuclear zinc center. Although not found in the crystal structure, solution samples of pMMO also contain iron. We have used X-ray absorption spectroscopy to analyze the oxidation states and coordination environments of the pMMO metal centers in as-isolated (pMMO(iso)), chemically reduced (pMMO(red)), and chemically oxidized (pMMO(ox)) samples. X-ray absorption near-edge spectra (XANES) indicate that pMMO(iso) contains both Cu(I) and Cu(II) and that the pMMO Cu centers can undergo redox chemistry. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analysis reveals a Cu-Cu interaction in all redox forms of the enzyme. The Cu-Cu distance increases from 2.51 to 2.65 A upon reduction, concomitant with an increase in the average Cu-O/N bond lengths. Appropriate Cu2 model complexes were used to refine and validate the EXAFS fitting protocols for pMMO(iso). Analysis of Fe EXAFS data combined with electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra indicates that Fe, present as Fe(III), is consistent with heme impurities. These findings are complementary to the crystallographic data and provide new insight into the oxidation states and possible electronic structures of the pMMO Cu ions.     

Quantum Refinement Does Not Support Dinuclear Copper Sites in Crystal Structures of Particulate Methane Monooxygenase

Particulate methane monooxygenase (pMMO) is one of the few enzymes that can activate methane. The metal content of this enzyme has been highly controversial, with suggestions of a dinuclear Fe site or mono‐, di‐, or trinuclear Cu sites. Crystal structures have shown a mono‐ or dinuclear Cu site, but the resolution was low and the geometry of the dinuclear site unusual. We have employed quantum refinement (crystallographic refinement enhanced with quantum‐mechanical calculations) to improve the structure of the active site. We compared a number of different mono‐ and dinuclear geometries, in some cases enhanced with more protein ligands or one or two water molecules, to determine which structure fits two sets of crystallographic raw data best. In all cases, the best results were obtained with mononuclear Cu sites, occasionally with an extra water molecule. Thus, we conclude that there is no crystallographic support for a dinuclear Cu site in pMMO.     

Optimization of methanol biosynthesis byMethylosinus trichosporium OB3b: An approach to improve methanol accumulation

Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b is a methanotrophic bacterium containing methane mono-oxygenase, catalyzing hydroxylation of methane to methanol. When methane is oxidized, the product is subsequently oxidized by methanol dehydrogenase contained in the same bacterium. To prevent further oxidation of methanol, the cell suspension was treated by cyclopropanol, an irreversible inhibitor for methanol dehydrogenase, leading to extracellular methanol accumulation. However, the reaction was terminated at approx 3 h with a final methanol concentration below 2.96 mmol/g dry cell. The methanol production efficiency (the ratio of the produced methanol per methane consumption) was 2.90%. By selecting the culture conditions and the reaction conditions, the reaction continued for 100 h, resulting in a methanol concentration of 152 mmol/g dry cell. This level was 51 times higher than that of the conventional reaction, and the methanol production efficiency was 61%.     

Biosynthesis of methanol from methane by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Methylosinus trichosporium</Emphasis> OB3b

Methanol has recently attracted significant interest in the energetic field. Current technology for the conversion of methane to methanol is based on energy intensive endothermic steam reforming followed by catalytic conversion into methanol. The one-step method performed at very low temperatures (35°C) is methane oxidation to methanol via bacteria. The aim of this work was to examine the role of copper in the one-step methane oxidation to methanol by utilizing whole cells of Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b bacteria. From the results obtained it was found that copper concentration in the medium influences the rate of bacterial biomass growth or methanol production during the process of methane oxidation to methanol. The presented results indicate that the process of methane oxidation to methanol by Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b bacteria is most efficient when the mineral medium contains 1.0 × 10⁻⁶ mol dm⁻³ of copper. Under these conditions, a satisfactory growth of biomass was also achieved. Presented at the 35th International Conference of the Slovak Society of Chemical Engineering, Tatranské Matliare, 26–30 May 2008.     

含钒杂多酸催化发烟硫酸中甲烷液相部分氧化反应

 以H5PV2Mo10O40 为催化剂,在发烟硫酸中进行了甲烷液相部分氧化,考察了催化剂用量、反应温度、反应时间和发烟硫酸浓度等工艺条件对反应收率的影响. 甲烷在反应中首先转化为硫酸甲酯,硫酸甲酯随后水解为甲醇. 对于甲烷液相部分氧化反应,发烟硫酸中游离的SO3是非常重要的影响因素. 在工艺条件为催化剂用量7.0 mmol, 反应温度473 K, 反应压力3.5 MPa, 反应时间3 h和发烟硫酸中SO3含量50%时,甲烷转化率可达48.5%, 目的产物甲醇收率为41.5%.