Insights into the metabolism of elemental sulfur by the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus: characterization of a coenzyme A- dependent NAD(P)H sulfur oxidoreductase.

ABSTRACT: The hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus uses carbohydrates as a carbon source and produces acetate, CO2, and H2 as end products. When S(0) is added to a growing culture, within 10 min the rate of H2 production rapidly decreases and H(2)S is detected. After 1 hour cells contain high NADPH- and coenzyme A-dependent S(0) reduction activity (0.7 units/mg, 85 degrees C) located in the cytoplasm. The enzyme responsible for this activity was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity (specific activity, 100 units/mg) and is termed NAD(P)H elemental sulfur oxidoreductase (NSR). NSR is a homodimeric flavoprotein (M(r), 100,000) and is encoded by PF1186. This designation was previously assigned to the gene encoding an enzyme that reduces coenzyme A disulfide, which is a side reaction of NSR.

SUBMITTER: Schut GJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1913366 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature