Methane monooxygenase

Methane monooxygenase is a multi-protein complex with a molecular mass of 300 kDa. It catalyzes the oxidation of the inert methane to methanol in methanotrophic bacteria, where it is the sole carbon and energy source. Has been studied extensively, the enzyme -stick model of Methylococcus capsulatus.

Methane monooxygenase is composed of four sub-units, which are A, B, C, D, referred to, wherein A is itself made ​​up of three other units α, β and γ. The gene names are mmoX / Y / Z ( for A) and MMOB, MMOC, MMOD.

In the active site of the hydroxylase, the oxidation of methane is performed with the aid of a dinuclear iron center. The iron atoms are coordinated by six amino acid residues. Thus, this enzyme in the class of non-heme iron enzymes.