One is lonely and three is a crowd: Two coppers are for methane oxidation

Abstract

What/where is the active site? The determination of the metal ion content and makeup of the bacterial membrane protein methane monooxygenase (pMMO) has an enigmatic research history, despite protein X-ray structures. A new study appears to settle the issue; the dicopper center facilitates oxidation of methane to methanol. However, the unusual activesite environment leaves many questions for future investigations on the relevant copper-dioxygen chemistry and biochemistry. (Figure Presented) © 2010 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.