Structural Insights into the Methane-Generating Enzyme from a Methoxydotrophic Methanogen Reveal a Restrained Gallery of Post-Translational Modifications.

Methanogenic archaea operate an ancient, if not primordial, metabolic pathway that releases methane as an end-product. This last step is orchestrated by the methyl-coenzyme M reductase (MCR), which uses a nickel-containing F-cofactor as the catalyst. MCR astounds the scientific world by its unique reaction chemistry, its numerous post-translational modifications, and its importance in biotechnology not only for production but also for capturing the greenhouse gas methane.