FORMATE HYDROGENLYASE: A NOVEL LOOK AT THE ENERGY CONSERVING ROLE OF THE ENZYME OF FERMENTATION

Abstract

  Formate hydrogenlyase, an enzyme of anaerobic fermentation, has obvious evolutionary link both to the NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase (complex l) known as an energy conserving fragment of a respiratory chain, and the [NiFe]-hydrogenases able to translocate protons. Formate hydrogenlyase activity is also F₀F₁– ATPase-dependent both in Escherichia coli and in Salmonella typhimurium. The detailed comparison of structural and functional features of enzymes formate hydrogenlyase with having electrogenic proton pump properties allows assuming that under anaerobic fermentative conditions and under the deficiency of energy formate hydrogenlyase components, the hydrogenases, posses energy-conserving function by coupling electron transfer and proton translocation.