谷氨酸脱氢酶与醇脱氢酶的共表达及其在制备(R)-2-氯-1-苯乙醇中的应用

【背景】醇脱氢酶AdhS能催化不对称还原反应制备(R)-2-氯-1-苯乙醇,但由于自身再生辅酶NADH的能力不足,需要辅酶再生酶协助其再生NADH。谷氨酸脱氢酶能以谷氨酸为底物,再生辅酶NAD(P)H,具有辅酶再生酶的潜力。【目的】克隆表达谷氨酸脱氢酶基因gdhA,构建谷氨酸脱氢酶GdhA与醇脱氢酶AdhS的大肠杆菌共表达体系,提高AdhS制备(R)-2-氯-1-苯乙醇的转化效率。【方法】从枯草芽孢杆菌(Bacillus subtilis) 168中克隆基因gdhA,并在大肠杆菌(Escherichia coli) BL21(DE3)中表达,分析辅酶再生活力;再与醇脱氢酶AdhS共表达,优化表达条件;分析不同辅酶再生方案对制备(R)-2-氯-1-苯乙醇的转化效率的影响。【结果】谷氨酸脱氢酶GdhA再生NADH的比活力为694 U/g。经GdhA与AdhS的共表达及表达条件优化后,制备(R)-2-氯-1-苯乙醇的转化效率达465 U/L。经比较,GdhA协助再生辅酶NADH,可使AdhS制备(R)-2-氯-1-苯乙醇的转化效率提高到约3倍。【结论】谷氨酸脱氢酶GdhA为NADH高效再生酶,与醇脱氢酶AdhS共表达可显著提高AdhS制备(R)-2-氯-1-苯乙醇的转化效率。     

Gluconobacter oxydans NH-10中短链D-阿拉伯糖醇脱氢酶的研究

以氧化葡萄糖酸杆菌(Gluconobacter oxydans)NH-10基因组DNA为模板,扩增得到D-阿拉伯糖醇脱氢酶基因arDH,将其克隆到大肠杆菌表达载体JM109(DE3)中进行诱导表达。SDS-PAGE电泳分析ArDH的分子量约为30 kDa,是一个短链脱氢酶,既能催化D-阿拉伯糖醇氧化为D-木酮糖,又能催化D-木酮糖还原为D-阿拉伯糖醇。催化氧化反应时,对D-阿拉伯糖醇的K_m为60.67 mmol/L,V_max为0.803 U/mg;它能同时依赖于NAD⁺和NADP⁺,但是更加偏好辅酶NAD⁺;最适pH为12.0。还原反应对D-木酮糖的 K_m为36.39 mmol/L,V_max为1.71 U/mg;最优pH为7.0,最适温度均为30℃。     

构建可合成非天然辅酶的圆红冬孢酵母工程菌*

烟酰胺腺嘌呤二核苷酸(nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide,NAD)及其还原态是生物体通用的氧化还原辅酶和重要小分子,参与胞内众多代谢反应,因此调控NAD水平不仅难以选择性作用于代谢途径,还常常产生意外的生物学效应。最近研究发现利用非天然辅酶烟酰胺胞嘧啶二核苷酸(nicotinamide cytosine dinucleotide,NCD),可构建正交的氧化还原催化体系,为调控胞内代谢提供了新机遇。为实现在产油酵母圆红冬孢酵母中建立NCD介导的氧化还原代谢,采用农杆菌介导转化方法,在基因组整合表达密码子优化的NCD合酶(NcdS)编码基因NCDS,获得系列有效表达NcdS的工程菌株。酶偶联法分析发现,工程菌细胞裂解液NcdS酶活达8.1×10^-3 U/OD_{600 nm}。通过高效液相色谱法(HPLC)和超高分辨率质谱检测,确定细胞裂解液可催化合成NCD。在培养基内补加5.0 mmol/L烟酰胺核糖后,工程菌胞内合成NCD达41.6 μmol/L。对工程菌进行发酵和油脂提取,发现胞内表达NCD合酶未导致细胞产油性能降低,后续可通过表达其他NCD偏好性酶,有望在圆红冬孢酵母中建立受NCD调控的油脂合成代谢体系。     

细菌麦芽糖淀粉酶在枯草芽孢杆菌中的诱导型异源表达

【目的】实现地衣芽孢杆菌麦芽糖淀粉酶在枯草芽孢杆菌中的高效异源表达,并研究该重组酶的酶学性质。【方法】克隆巨大芽孢杆菌木糖异构酶基因的启动子区域及其调控蛋白,构建一个大肠杆菌/芽孢杆菌穿梭型诱导表达质粒,使用该诱导型启动子介导麦芽糖淀粉酶编码基因,实现其在枯草芽孢杆菌中的功能表达。对重组枯草芽孢杆菌的诱导条件进行优化,提高麦芽糖淀粉酶的产量。【结果】获得了诱导表达麦芽糖淀粉酶基因的重组枯草芽孢杆菌菌株。最适诱导温度为45°C,最适诱导剂添加浓度为1%,最适添加诱导剂时间为接种培养9 h后。重组酶蛋白分子量大小为67 k D,对该酶的酶学性质研究发现,以可溶性淀粉为底物,反应生成麦芽糖和葡萄糖,其中麦芽糖含量为60.42%。重组酶最适作用温度为45°C,最适作用p H为6.5,Ca2+、Co2+、EDTA对该重组麦芽糖淀粉酶具有激活作用。【结论】通过木糖诱导表达系统可以实现麦芽糖淀粉酶在枯草芽孢杆菌中的高效诱导型表达,酶活最高可达296.64 U/m L发酵液,在工业上有着较好的应用前景。     

双乙酰生物传感器的研究

试验研究了粪肠杆菌(Enterococcus faecalis)中双乙酰还原酶的提取纯化,以及双乙酰生物传感器制备和测定性能。以双乙酰还原酶和还原型辅酶I(NADH)共固定作为工作酶 膜,用Fe²⁺／Fe和双乙酰还原过程中产生的NAD⁺／NADH组成生物传感器,可准确测定0．1～0.5μg／Ml浓度范围内的双乙酰含量,响应时间小于2min。9d内传感器工作性能稳定。研究表明,啤酒内典型的金属离子和有机物在相应浓度内不影响传感器工作性能。同时．试验初步解决了辅酶的再生和溶氧干扰问题。     

枯草芽孢杆菌产β-1,3-1,4-葡聚糖酶的响应面优化

【目的】采用响应面法(RSM)优化枯草芽孢杆菌5 L发酵罐产β-1,3-1,4-葡聚糖酶的发酵条件。【方法】利用Box-Behnken设计和方差分析。【结果】获得最佳发酵条件为:转速、通气量和培养基pH分别为500 r/min、1.05 vvm和5.08,发酵时间仅为22 h产β-1,3-1,4-葡聚糖酶活力达2 294.4 U/mL。【结论】实验结果表明响应面法优化5 L发酵罐发酵产β-1,3-1,4-葡聚糖酶的条件合理可行。     

亮氨酸脱氢酶与葡萄糖脱氢酶高效共表达制备L-叔亮氨酸北大核心CSCD

【目的】通过不同双基因共表达策略对亮氨酸脱氢酶和葡萄糖脱氢酶基因在大肠杆菌中表达影响的研究,获得具有高辅酶再生效率的双酶共表达重组生物催化剂,实现L-叔亮氨酸"一锅法"高效不对称合成。【方法】以来自于蜡状芽孢杆菌(Bacillus cereus)的亮氨酸脱氢酶(LDH)和来自芽孢菌属(Bacillus sp.)的葡萄糖脱氢酶(GDH)为模板,考察单质粒共表达,双质粒共表达和融合表达等3种共表达策略对重组细胞中亮氨酸脱氢酶和葡萄糖脱氢酶活的影响,比较不同酶活比例和不同催化剂形式对三甲基丙酮酸不对称还原制备L-叔亮氨酸效率的影响。【结果】研究发现不同共表达策略对亮氨酸脱氢酶和葡萄糖脱氢酶的影响存在明显差异。亮氨酸脱氢酶在不同策略下均能够正常表达,而葡萄糖脱氢酶在融合表达时没有活力,当C端含有组氨酸标签时,表达蛋白活性低。通过表达优化,获得3株亮氨酸脱氢酶和葡萄糖脱氢酶高效表达且具有不同酶活比例的重组菌。比较粗酶液和全细胞形式下的催化效率,发现酶活比例及催化剂形式对不对称还原反应效率具有重要影响。确定单质粒串联表达C端不含His标签重组菌E.coli BL21/p ET28a-L-SD-AS-G为最佳催化剂,以粗酶液进行转化时,完全转化0.5 mol/L底物所需菌体量为15 g/L,辅酶量为0.1 mmol/L。【结论】采用单质粒共表达策略,成功构建出1株具有较高亮氨酸脱氢酶和葡萄糖脱氢酶活性的重组菌,实现高效催化TMP合成L-Tle。     

化学机械法棉秆制浆废液的生物转化条件及转化物的安全性

摘要:【目的】系统研究棉秆制浆废液用于培养具有生物防治功能的枯草芽孢杆菌的适宜条件和转化液的安全性。【方法】以初始pH值、温度、曝气量和接种量作为单因素,通过实验优化培养条件,并以大鼠和大耳兔作为测试动物,对转化液的安全性进行分析。【结果】结果表明,APMP棉秆制浆废液培养枯草芽孢杆菌的最适条件为:初始pH7.0,温度30℃,曝气量16 L/h,接种量0.8 g/L,反应器内加入填料,装填率为30%,在此培养条件下菌株的活芽孢数为6.27×109 CFU/mL,废液COD 转化率达70.4%。生物转化后,转化液的成分含量与转化前相比均有不同程度的下降。经4种毒性试验检测表明,未发现转化液的生物致病性。【结论】APMP 棉秆制浆废液可为枯草芽孢杆菌的生长和代谢提供必要的营养,可用于生物转化,且转化液为无刺激性、无毒性物质。     

碱性蛋白酶SubC在枯草芽孢杆菌中的高效异源表达

【背景】碱性蛋白酶是工业用酶中占比最大的酶类,广泛应用于清洁、食品、医疗等行业。近期研究发现碱性蛋白酶在生产生物活性肽方面有巨大潜力,这将进一步拓宽其在保健食品领域中的应用。【目的】利用枯草芽孢杆菌异源表达地衣芽孢杆菌来源的碱性蛋白酶SubC。【方法】通过筛选3种枯草芽孢杆菌宿主菌株(Bacillus subtilis 1A751、MA07、MA08)和6种信号肽(AmyE、AprE、NprE、Pel、YddT、YoqM),同时优化诱导剂浓度、发酵培养基和发酵时长,最终得到最优重组菌株MA08-AmyE-subCopt。【结果】重组菌株MA08-AmyE-subCopt的胞外酶活力为3.33×103 AU/mL,胞外蛋白分泌量为胞内可溶蛋白表达量的4倍,与携带野生型信号肽的对照组菌株WT相比,酶活提高了73.4%。【结论】异源碱性蛋白酶SubC在枯草芽孢杆菌中成功表达,为碱性蛋白酶SubC的表达和在保健食品领域的工业化应用提供了理论基础。     

应用合成生物学策略构建全细胞生物催化剂合成(S)-乙偶姻

目的:在大肠杆菌宿主中过量表达丁二酮还原酶(DAR),同时构建辅酶NADH原位再生系统,利用全细胞高效催化丁二酮不对称还原合成(S)-乙偶姻。方法:PCR克隆多黏芽孢杆菌(Paenibacillus polymyxa) dar基因连到质粒pETDuet-1,转化至大肠杆菌(Escherichia coli) BL21(DE3),构建重组菌E. coli BL21(DE3)-DAR;通过Hi Trap TALON柱亲和层析纯化表达产物DAR酶蛋白,测定DAR的比酶活和分子动力学参数。在重组菌E. coli BL21(DE3)-DAR中构建辅酶NADH原位再生系统,协同表达枯草芽孢杆菌(Bacillus subtilis)的葡萄糖脱氢酶(GDH),构建重组菌E. coli BL21(DE3)-DAR/GDH,并以此重组菌为全细胞生物催化剂,优化催化条件,提高(S)-乙偶姻的产量和产率。结果:获得重组工程菌E. coli BL21(DE3)-DAR和E. coli BL21(DE3)-DAR/GDH。DAR以NADH为辅酶还原丁二酮的米氏常数Km、最大催化速率Vmax、催化常数Kcat分别为2. 59mmol/L、1. 64μmol/(L·min·mg)、12. 3/s,还原丁二酮生成(S)-乙偶姻光学的纯度为95. 86%,具有较好的催化效率和立体异构体选择性。构建辅酶NADH原位再生系统后,重组菌E. coli BL21(DE3)-DAR/GDH可高效催化丁二酮合成乙偶姻。在最优催化条件下分批补料,乙偶姻产量达51. 26g/L,转化率为81. 37%,生产速率为5. 13g/(L·h)。结论:使用非手性化合物原料丁二酮生产高附加值的手性化合物(S)-乙偶姻,以重组菌为全细胞生物催化剂合成(S)-乙偶姻,不需额外添加昂贵的辅酶,具有较高的生产应用价值。     

The NADH diphosphatase encoded by the Saccharomyces cerevisiae NPY1 nudix hydrolase gene is located in peroxisomes

The NPY1 nudix hydrolase gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been cloned and shown to encode a diphosphatase (pyrophosphatase) with NADH as the preferred substrate, giving NMNH and AMP as products. NADPH, diadenosine diphosphate, NAD+, NADP+, and ADP-ribose were also utilized efficiently. Km values for NADH, NAD+, and ADP-ribose were 0.17, 0.5, and 1.3 mM and kcat values 1.5, 0.6, and 0.6 s(-1), respectively. NPY1 has a potential C-terminal tripeptide PTS1 peroxisomal targeting signal (SHL). By fusing NPY1 to the C-terminus of yeast-enhanced green fluorescent protein, the enzyme was found to be targeted to peroxisomes. Colocalization with peroxisomal thiolase was also shown by indirect immunofluorescence. Related sequences in other organisms also have potential PTS1 signals, suggesting an important peroxisomal function for this protein. This function may be the regulation of nicotinamide coenzyme concentrations independently of those in other compartments or the elimination of oxidized nucleotide derivatives from the peroxisomal environment.     

Depolymerisation of F-actin to G-actin and its repolymerisation in the presence of analogs of adenosine triphosphate.

The binding of the coenzyme to octopine dehydrogenase was investigated by kinetic and spectroscopic studies using different analogues of NAD+. The analogues employed were fragments of the coenzyme molecule and dinucleotides modified on the purine or the pyridine ring. The binding of ADPribose is sufficient to induce local conformational changes necessary for the good positioning of substrates. AMP, ADP, NMN+ and NMNH do not show this effect. Analogues modified on the purine ring such as nicotinamide deaminoadenine dinucleotide, nicotinamide--8-bromoadenine dinucleotide, nicotinamide--8-thioadenine dinucleotide and nicotinamide 1: N6-ethenoadenine dinucleotide bind to the enzyme and give catalytically active ternary complexes. Modifications of the pyridine ring show an important effect on the binding of the coenzyme as well as on the formation of ternary complexes. Thus, the carboxamide group can well be replaced by an acetyl group and also, though less efficiently, by a formyl or cyano group. However more bulky substituents such as thio, chloroacetyl or propionyl groups prevent the binding. The analogues bearing a methyl group in the 4 or 5 position, which are competitive inhibitors, are able to give binary by not ternary complexes. The case of 1,4,5,6-tetrahydronicotinamide--adenine dinucleotide which does not give ternary complexes like NADH is discussed. The above findings show that the pyridine and adenine parts are both involved in the binding of the coenzyme and of the substrate to octopine dehydrogenase. The nicotinamide binding site of this enzyme seems to be the most specific and restricted one among the dehydrogenases so far described. The protective effects of coenzyme analogues towards essential -SH group were also studied.     

Membrane association of NAD pyrophosphatase inSalmonella typhimurium

Salmonella typhimurium was fractionated into cytoplasmic, periplasmic, and membrane fractions to determine the cellular location of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide pyrophosphatase. The results indicate that this enzyme is associated almost exclusively with the inner membrane. Studies utilizing porin mutants indicate that NAD probably transverses the outer membrane via pores and is degraded to NMN at the inner membrane by NAD pyrophosphatase. Based upon the lack of significant NAD pyrophosphatase activity in cytoplasmic fractions, we theorize that most if not all intracellular turnover of NAD is probably the result of DNA ligase activity.     

Kinetics of native and modified liver alcohol dehydrogenase with coenzyme analogues: isomerization of enzyme-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide complex

Coenzyme analogues with the adenosine ribose replaced with n-propyl, n-butyl, and n-pentyl groups; coenzyme analogues with the adenosine replaced with 3-(4-acetylanilino)propyl and 6-(4-acetylanilino)hexyl moieties; and nicotinamide mononucleotide, nicotinamide hypoxanthine dinucleotide, and 3-acetylpyridine adenine dinucleotide were used in steady-state kinetic studies with native and activated, amidinated enzymes. The Michaelis and inhibition constants increased up to 100-fold upon modification of coenzyme or enzyme. Turnover numbers with NAD+ and ethanol increased in some cases up to 10-fold due to increased rates of dissociation of enzyme-reduced coenzyme complexes. Rates of dissociation of oxidized coenzyme appeared to be mostly unaffected, but the values calculated (10-60 s-1) were significantly less than the turnover numbers with acetaldehyde and reduced coenzyme (20-900 s-1, at pH 8, 25 degrees C). Rates of association of coenzyme analogues also decreased up to 100-fold. When Lys-228 in the adenosine binding site was picolinimidylated, turnover numbers increased about 10-fold with NAD(H). Furthermore, the pH dependencies for association and dissociation of NAD+ and turnover number with NAD+ and ethanol showed the fastest rates above a pK value of 8.0. Turnover with NADH and acetaldehyde was fastest below a pK value of 8.1. These results can be explained by a mechanism in which isomerization of the enzyme-NAD+ complex (110 s-1) is partially rate limiting in turnover with NAD+ and ethanol (60 s-1) and is controlled by ionization of the hydrogen-bonded system that includes the water ligated to the catalytic zinc and the imidazole group of His-51.     

Coenzyme specificity of Sir2 protein deacetylases: implications for physiological regulation

Sir2 (silent information regulator 2) enzymes catalyze a unique protein deacetylation reaction that requires the coenzyme NAD(+) and produces nicotinamide and a newly discovered metabolite, O-acetyl-ADP-ribose (OAADPr). Conserved from bacteria to humans, these proteins are implicated in the control of gene silencing, metabolism, apoptosis, and aging. Here we examine the role of NAD(+) metabolites/derivatives and salvage pathway intermediates as activators, inhibitors, or coenzyme substrates of Sir2 enzymes in vitro. Also, we probe the coenzyme binding site using inhibitor binding studies and alternative coenzyme derivatives as substrates. Sir2 enzymes showed an exquisite selectivity for the nicotinamide base coenzyme, with the most dramatic losses in binding affinity/reactivity resulting from relatively minor changes in the nicotinamide ring, either by reduction, as in NADH, or by converting the amide to its acid analogue. Both ends of the dinucleotide NAD(+) are shown to be critical for high selectivity and high affinity. Among the NAD(+) metabolites tested none were able to allosterically activate, although all led to various extents of inhibition, consistent with competition at the coenzyme binding site. Nicotinamide was the most potent inhibitor examined, suggesting that cellular nicotinamide levels would provide an effective small molecule regulator of protein deacetylation and generation of OAADPr. The presented findings also suggest that changes in the physiological NAD(+):NADH ratio, without a change in NAD(+), would yield little alteration in Sir2 activity. That is, NADH is an extremely ineffective inhibitor of Sir2 enzymes (average IC(50) of 17 mm). We propose that changes in both free nicotinamide and free NAD(+) afford the greatest contribution to cellular activity of Sir2 enzymes but with nicotinamide having a more dramatic effect during smaller fluctuations in concentration.     

The vanadate-stimulated oxidation of NAD(P)H by biomembranes is a superoxide-initiated free radical chain reaction

Rat liver microsomes catalyze a vanadate-stimulated oxidation of NAD(P)H, which is augmented by paraquat and suppressed by superoxide dismutase, but not by catalase. NADPH oxidation was a linear function of the concentration of microsomes in the absence of vanadate, but was a saturating function in the presence of vanadate. Microsomes did not catalyze a vanadate-stimulated oxidation of reduced nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMNH), but gained this ability when NADPH was also present. When the concentration of NMNH was much greater than that of NADPH a minimal average chain length could be calculated from 1/2 the ratio of NMNH oxidized per NADPH added. The term chain length, as used here, signifies the number of molecules of NMNH oxidized per initiating event. Chain length could be increased by increasing [vanadate] and [NMNH] and by decreasing pH. Chain lengths in excess of 30 could easily be achieved. The Km for NADPH, arrived at from saturation of its ability to trigger NMNH oxidation by microsomes in the presence of vanadate, was 1.5 microM. Microsomes or the outer mitochondrial membrane was able to catalyze the vanadate-stimulated oxidation of NADH or NADPH but only the oxidation of NADPH was accelerated by paraquat. The inner mitochondrial membrane was able to cause the vanadate-stimulated oxidation of NAD(P)H and in this case paraquat stimulated the oxidation of both pyridine coenzymes. Our results indicate that vanadate stimulation of NAD(P)H oxidation by biomembranes is a consequence of vanadate stimulation of NAD(P)H or NMNH oxidation by O-2, rather than being due to the existence of vanadate-stimulated NAD(P)H oxidases or dehydrogenases.     

The inhibition of pig kidney alkaline phosphatase by oxidized or reduced nicotinamide–adenine dinucleotide and related compounds

1. The inhibition of alkaline phosphatase by NAD(+), NADH, adenosine and nicotinamide was studied. 2. All of these substances except NAD(+) act as uncompetitive inhibitors, i.e. double-reciprocal plots are parallel. NAD(+), however, is a ;mixed' inhibitor of alkaline phosphatase and is less potent than NADH. 3. Inhibition studies with pairs of the inhibitors suggest that, in spite of the difference in type of inhibition, NAD(+) and NADH bind to alkaline phosphatase at a common site. Adenosine and nicotinamide also seem to bind at the NAD site and the binding of adenosine is facilitated by nicotinamide, and vice versa. 4. The facilitation may indicate the occurrence of an induced fit for NAD(+) and NADH. Attempts to desensitize alkaline phosphatase to NAD(+) and NADH inhibition by partial denaturation were unsuccessful. 5. The results are discussed in terms of a two-site model in which separate, but interacting, regions exist on the enzyme to accommodate the adenosine and nicotinamide moieties of NAD, and a single-site model in which the adenosine part of the molecule is bound preferentially and this interacts with the nicotinamide fraction. 6. The activity of alkaline phosphatase can be changed fourfold by alteration of the NAD(+)/NADH ratio. This sensitivity to the redox state of the coenzyme could be a means of controlling phosphatase activity.     

Cooperativity and noncooperativity in the binding of NAD analogues to rabbit muscle glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase.

Using NAD analogues as ligands, the structural requirements for negative cooperativity in binding to rabbit muscle glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase were examined. Although the affinity of nicotinamide hypoxanthine dinucleotide is considerably lower than that of NAD+, it also binds to the enzyme with negative cooperatively. Two pairs of nicotinamide hypoxanthine dinucleotide binding sitess were distinguished, one pair having an affinity for the analogue which is 15 times that of the second pair. Negative cooperativity is also found in the Km values for the analogue. Thus modification of the adenine ring of NAD+ to hypoxanthine does not abolish negative cooperativity in coenzyme binding. Adenosine diphosphoribose binding to the same enzyme shows neither positive nor negative cooperativity, indicating that cooperativity apparently requires an intact nicotinamide ring in the coenzyme structure, under the conditions of these experiments. Occupancy of the nicotinamide subsite of the coenzyme binding site is not necessary for half-of-sites reactivity of alkylating or acylating compounds (Levitzki, A. (1974), J. Mol, Biol. 90, 451-458). However, it can be important in the negative cooperativity in ligand binding, as illustrated by adenosine diphosphoribose which fails to exhibit negative cooperativity. Occupancy of the adenine subsite by adenine is important for stabilization of the enzyme against thermal denaturation. Whether the stabilization is due to an altered conformation of the subunits or stabilization of the preexisting structure of the apoenzyme cannot be determined from these studies. However, nicotinamide hypoxanthine dinucleotide does not contribute to enzyme stability although it serves as a substrate and shows negative cooperativity.     

Regulation of Tryptophan Pyrrolase Activity in Xanthomonas pruni

Tryptophan pyrrolase was studied in partially purified extracts of Xanthomonas pruni. The dialyzed enzyme required both heme and ascorbate for maximal activity. Other reducing agents were able to substitute for ascorbate. Protoporphyrin competed with heme for the enzyme, suggesting that the native enzyme is a hemoprotein. The enzyme exhibited sigmoid saturation kinetics. Reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH), reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH), nicotinic acid mononucleotide, and anthranilic acid enhanced the sigmoid kinetics and presumably bound to allosteric sites on the enzyme. The sigmoid kinetics were diminished in the presence of alpha-methyltryptophan. NAD, NADP, nicotinic acid, nicotinamide, nicotinamide mononucleotide, and several other related compounds were without effect on the activity of the enzyme. These data indicate that the activity of the enzyme is under feedback regulation by the ultimate end products of the pathway leading to NAD biosynthesis, as well as by certain intermediates of this pathway.