catalysts Article Biocatalytic Oxidations of Substrates through Soluble Methane Monooxygenase from Methylosinus sporium 5 Yeo Reum Park 1, Hee Seon Yoo 1, Min Young Song 1, Dong-Heon Lee 1 and Seung Jae Lee 1,2,* 1 Department of Chemistry and Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetics, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Korea;
[email protected] (Y.R.P.);
[email protected] (H.S.Y.);
[email protected] (M.Y.S.);
[email protected] (D.-H.L.); 2 Department of Chemistry and Research Center for Bioactive Materials, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Korea * Correspondence:
[email protected]; Tel.: +82-63-270-3412; Fax: +82-63-270-3407 Received: 27 October 2018; Accepted: 21 November 2018; Published: 26 November 2018 Abstract: Methane, an important greenhouse gas, has a 20-fold higher heat capacity than carbon dioxide. Earlier, through advanced spectroscopy and structural studies, the mechanisms underlying the extremely stable C–H activation of soluble methane monooxygenase (sMMO) have been elucidated in Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b and Methylococcus capsulatus Bath. Here, sMMO components—including hydroxylase (MMOH), regulatory (MMOB), and reductase (MMOR)—were expressed and purified from a type II methanotroph, Methylosinus sporium strain 5 (M. sporium 5), to characterize its hydroxylation mechanism. Two molar equivalents of MMOB are necessary to achieve catalytic activities and oxidized a broad range of substrates including alkanes, alkenes, halogens, and aromatics. Optimal activities were observed at pH 7.5 for most substrates possibly because of the electron transfer environment in MMOR. Substitution of MMOB or MMOR from another type II methanotroph, Methylocystis species M, retained specific enzyme activities, demonstrating the successful cross-reactivity of M.