Alcohol Dehydrogenase from Cultured Rice Cells

Rice cells in suspension culture had high alcohol dehydrogenaseactivity during the logarithmic growth phase (3rd to 5th day).Ethanol was accumulated both in the cells and in the medium.The highest amount of ethanol was accumulated on the 4th dayin cells (10 µmoles/g fresh weight) and during the stationarygrowth phase (8th day) (180 mM, ca. 1%) in the medium. The enzymewas isolated from the cell extract and purified 36-fold witha 14% yield by ammonium sulfate fractional precipitation, andchromatography on DEAE-Sephadex, Sephadex G-150 and Blue Dextran-Sepharose.The purified enzyme was homogeneous, as judged by its sedimentationvelocity, and poly acrylamide gel, starch gel and SDS-polyacrylamidegel electrophoreses. Its molecular weight was 76,000 distributedin two, identical 37,000 subunits. The isoelectric point wasat pH 5.5. The enzyme contained 2.1 g atoms of zinc, 12 freeSH groups and 3 to 4 SS bonds per molecule. The pH optimum forethanol oxidatioa was pH 9.5 and for acetaldehyde reductionpH 6.0. The K_m values for ethanol, NAD^$, acetaldehyde and NADHwere 64.5 mM, 47.1 µM, 1.3 mM and 9.5 µM. The aminoacid composition, substrate specificity, and the effects ofchelators, SH reagents and sugar metabolic intermediates alsoare reported. (Received August 25, 1981; Accepted December 7, 1981)