甲烷氧化菌及甲烷单加氧酶的研究进展

Research Progresses of Methanotrophs and Methane Monooxygenases

摘要:

甲烷氧化菌是以甲烷作为唯一碳源和能源进行同化和异化代谢的微生物, 其关键酶之一是甲烷单加氧酶(MMOs), 可以在氧气的作用下催化甲烷等低碳烷烃或烯烃羟基化或环氧化, 甲烷氧化菌在自然界碳循环和工业生物技术中具有重要的应用价值。因此, 近20年来对于甲烷氧化菌和MMOs的研究一直倍受生物学家的关注。以下从现代生物技术的角度, 对近年来国内外在甲烷氧化菌的分类与分布, MMOs的结构与功能、甲烷氧化菌与MMOs的基因工程等方面取得的研究成果进行了总结, 全面综述了甲烷氧化菌及MMOs的应用基础研究现状, 并对其今后的研究和应用方向提出了展望。

关键词:甲烷氧化菌, 甲烷单加氧酶, 甲烷, 分子生物学, 工业生物技术

Abstract:

Methanotrophs are a group of bacteria capable of utilizing methane as the sole carbon and energy source for their anabolism and catabolism. Since methanotrophs contain the unique enzymes of methane monooxygenases (MMOs), which can catalyze the oxidation of methane and short-chain alkanes and alkenes, they have potential applications in carbon recycle of nature and industrial biotechnology. Therefore, methanotrophs have been paid much more attention by the researchers in recent 20 years. In this paper, the latest progresses in studies of methanotrophs and MMOs were reviewed, including taxonomy, function and distribution of methanotrophs, and structure, function and genetic engineering of MMOs. The future research directions of methanotrophs and MMOs as well as their applications were also discussed.

Key words:methanotroph, methane monooxygenase, methane, molecular biology, industrial biotechnology