Identification of lactaldehyde dehydrogenase in Methanocaldococcus jannaschii and its involvement in production of lactate for F420 biosynthesis.

ABSTRACT: One of the early steps in the biosynthesis of coenzyme F(420) in Methanocaldococcus jannaschii requires generation of 2-phospho-L-lactate, which is formed by the phosphorylation of L-lactate. Preliminary studies had shown that L-lactate in M. jannaschii is not derived from pyruvate, and thus an alternate pathway(s) for its formation was examined. Here we report that L-lactate is formed by the NAD(+)-dependent oxidation of l-lactaldehyde by the MJ1411 gene product. The lactaldehyde, in turn, was found to be generated either by the NAD(P)H reduction of methylglyoxal or by the aldol cleavage of fuculose-1-phosphate by fuculose-1-phosphate aldolase, the MJ1418 gene product.

SUBMITTER: Grochowski LL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1447007 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature