Methanofuran

Methanofuran 's biochemistry a coenzyme is involved in the first step of methanogenesis. It contains a five-membered furan ring with an amino (NH -R ), which binds carbon dioxide. The result is a N- Carboxymethanofuran what is being implemented by a reductase to Formylmethanofuran. Formylmethanofuran then enters further steps of methanogenesis.

Methanofuran is the only known enzyme that contains a furan. The coenzyme was detected in archaea and bacterial methylotrophs and first discovered in Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum.

There are several Methanofurane that differ in their structure (see picture). All variants have a common basic structure, this is chemically 4 - [ N-( γ -L -glutamyl- γ -L -glutamyl )-p- ( β -aminoethyl) phenoxymethyl ] -2 - (aminomethyl ) furan. In Methanofuran a from M. thermoautotrophicum 1,3,4,6 - Hexantetracarbonsäure ( HTC's ) is also bound to the basic structure of Methanofuran b, these are two related γ -L- glutamyl residues, and Methanofuran c carries smithii Methanobrevibacter from 2-hydroxy- HCTS.