coenzyme F420 biosynthesis PMID:16585745 Biosynthesis of coenzyme F420, an important cofactor involved in hydride transfer reactions in methanogenic archaea as well as methanotrophic and other bacteria. Although coenzyme F420 contains a deazaflavin moiety, it is biochemically analogous to the nicotinamide cofactors. Coenzyme F420 is involved in a variety of biochemical transformations, including methanogenesis, DNA photorepair, and degradation of nitrophenols and nitroimidazofurans, and in the biosynthesis of several secondary metabolites [PMID:16585745]. F420 is named for its intense fluorescence upon excitation with 420 nm light, the oxidized coenzyme F420 (N-(N -l-lactyl-gamma-glutamyl)-l-glutamic acid phosphodiester of 7,8-didemethyl-8-hydroxy-5-deazariboflavin) was first discovered in mycobacteria (Cousins 1960) and later purified for structural identification from the methane-producing microorganism Methanobacterium sp. strain M.o.H. (Cheeseman et al. 1972; Eirich et al. 1978). Since these original studies, F420 has been found in numerous actinomycetes and in all methanogens (Isabelle et al. 2002). [PMID:14593448]. UPa:UPA00071 pathway PMID:14593448 cofactor biosynthesis