Catalytic Mechanism of the Metal-Free Hydrogenase from Methanogenic Archaea: Reversed Stereospecificity of the Catalytic and Noncatalytic Reaction

By activation of the hydrogen acceptor , the metal-free hydrogenase from methanogenic archaea catalyzes the reduction of methenyl tetrahydromethanopterin with H₂. According to NMR spectroscopic analysis of the conformation of the hydrogen acceptor in solution and of the stereospecificity of the catalyzed and noncatalyzed reaction, in the enzyme-catalyzed reaction the hydrogenation product is formed in a constraint conformation which relaxes upon dissociation from the enzyme. This exergonic conformational change could help to avoid product inhibition of the enzyme.