Changes in the enzyme activity of flavinogenesis in the process of culturing the fungus Eremothecium ashbyii

The activity of enzymes involved in the beginning (GTP cyclohydrolase) and terminal steps (riboflavin synthase EC 2.5.1.9, riboflavin kinase EC 2.7.1.26 and FMN adenyltransferase EC 2.7.7.2) of flavinogenesis was studied in the mycelium of Erenmothecium ashbyii of different age. The activity of GTP cyclohydrolas, riboflavin kinase and FMN adenyltransferase was low in the young mycelium and increased in the process of growth, which was accompanied by the acceleration of flavinogenesis. The activity of riboflavin synthase was high in the young mycelium and changed only slightly in the process of subsequent cultivation of the fungus. 8-Azaadenine and 8-hydroxyquinoline added to the young culture of E. ashbyii inhibited the flavinogenesis of the mycelium and the increase of the enzyme activity.     

Identification of the covalently bound flavins of D-gluconate dehydrogenases from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas fluorescens and of 2-keto-D-gluconate dehydrogenase from Gluconobacter melanogenus.

An improved method is presented for the purification of 8 alpha-(N1-histidyl)riboflavin, 8 alpha-(N3-histidyl)riboflavin and their 2',5'-anhydro forms, which permits the isolation of sizeable quantities of each of these compounds from a synthetic mixture in pure form. Flavin peptides were isolated from the D-gluconate dehydrogenases of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas fluorescens and from the 2-keto-D-gluconate dehydrogenase of Gluconobacter melanogenus. After conversion into the aminoacyl-riboflavin, the flavin in all three enzymes was identified as 8 alpha-(N3-histidyl)riboflavin. By sequential treatment with nucleotide pyrophosphatase and alkaline phosphatase, the flavin in each enzyme was shown to be in the dinucleotide form.     

Long-term stability of enzymes in human serum stored in liquid nitrogen

We analyzed the stability of the enzymes alpha-amylase (EC 3.2.1.1), alkaline phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.1), alanine aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.2), aspartate aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.1), creatine kinase (EC 2.7.3.2), glutamate dehydrogenase (EC 1.4.1.3), gamma-glutamyltransferase (EC 2.3.2.2) and lactate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.27) of a human serum pool during storage in liquid nitrogen for a period of 10 months. Except amylase and creatine kinase, all enzymes were stable. Amylase increased in activity, creatine kinase activity decreased. Therefore, human serum stored at -196 degrees C can be used as satisfactory substitute for lyophilized enzyme control serum in internal quality control and stable enzyme material for optimization of methods.     

Regulation of flavin biosynthesis in the methylotrophic yeast Hansenula polymorpha

Under various conditions of growth of the methylotrophic yeast Hansenula polymorpha, a tight correlation was observed between the levels of flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD)-containing alcohol oxidase, and the levels of intracellularly bound FAD and flavin biosynthetic enzymes. Adaptation of the organism to changes in the physiological requirement for FAD was by adjustment of the levels of the enzymes catalyzing the last three steps in flavin biosynthesis, riboflavin synthetase, riboflavin kinase and flavin mononucleotide adenylyltransferase. The regulation of the synthesis of the latter enzymes in relation to that of alcohol oxidase synthesis was studied in experiments involving addition of glucose to cells of H. polymorpha growing on methanol in batch cultures or in carbon-limited continuous cultures. This resulted not only in selective inactivation of alcohol oxidase and release of FAD, as previously reported, but invariably also in repression/inactivation of the flavin biosynthetic enzymes. In further experiments involving addition of FAD to the same type of cultures it became clear that inactivation of the latter enzymes was not caused directly by glucose, but rather by free FAD that accumulated intracellularly. In these experiments no repression or inactivation of alcohol oxidase occurred and it is therefore concluded that the synthesis of this enzyme and the flavin biosynthetic enzymes is under separate control, the former by glucose (and possibly methanol) and the latter by intracellular levels of free FAD.Abbreviations FAD Flavin adenine dinucleotide - FMN riboflavin-5-phosphate; flavin mononucleotide - Rf riboflavin     

Main physicochemical features of monofunctional flavokinase from Bacillus subtilis

The main properties of a monofunctional riboflavin kinase from B. subtilis have been studied for the first time; the enzyme is responsible for a key reaction in flavin biosynthesis—the ATP-dependent phosphorylation of riboflavin with production of flavin mononucleotide. The active form of the enzyme is a monomer with molecular weight of about 26 kD with a strict specificity for reduced riboflavin. To display its maximum activity, the enzyme needs ATP and Mg²⁺. During the phosphorylation of riboflavin, Mg²⁺ could be partially replaced by ions of other bivalent metals, the efficiencies of which decreased in the series Mg²⁺ > Mn²⁺ > Zn²⁺, whereas Co²⁺ and Ca²⁺ had inhibiting effects. The flavokinase activity was maximal at pH 8.5 and 52°C. ATP could be partially replaced by other triphosphates, their donor activity decreasing in the series: ATP > dATP > CTP > UTP. The Michaelis constants for riboflavin and ATP were 0.15 and 112 M, respectively. As compared to riboflavin, a tenfold excess of its analog 7,8-dimethyl-10-(O-methylacetoxime)-isoalloxazine decreased the enzyme activity by 30%. Other analogs of riboflavin failed to markedly affect the enzyme activity.     

Adenine nucleotide metabolism in relation to purine enzymes in liver, erythrocytes and cultured fibroblasts.

To evaluate the regulation of adenine nucleotide metabolism in relation to purine enzyme activities in rat liver, human erythrocytes and cultured human skin fibroblasts, rapid and sensitive assays for the purine enzymes, adenosine deaminase (EC 2.5.4.4), adenosine kinase (EC 2.7.1.20), hyposanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (EC 2.4.28), adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (EC 2.4.2.7) and 5'-nucleotidase (EC 3.1.3.5) were standardized for these tissues. Adenosine deaminase was assayed by measuring the formation of product, inosine (plus traces of hypoxanthine), isolated chromatographically with 95% recovery of inosine. The other enzymes were assayed by isolating the labelled product or substrate nucleotides as lanthanum salts. Fibroblast enzymes were assayed using thin-layer chromatographic procedures because the high levels of 5'-nucleotidase present in this tissue interferred with the formation of LaCl3 salts. The lanthanum and the thin-layer chromatographic methods agreed within 10%. Liver cell sap had the highest activities of all purine enzymes except for 5'-nucleotidase and adenosine deaminase which were highest in fibroblasts. Erythrocytes had lowest activities of all except for hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase which was intermediate between the liver and fibroblasts. Erhthrocytes were devoid of 5'-nucleotidase activity. Hepatic adenosine kinase activity was thought to control the rate of loss of adenine nucleotides in the tissue. Erythrocytes had excellent purine salvage capacity, but due to the relatively low activity of adenosine deaminase, deamination might be rate limiting in the formation of guanine nucleotides. Fibroblasts, with high levels of 5'-nucleotidase, have the potential to catabolize adenine nucleotides beyond the control od adenosine kinase. The purine salvage capacity in the three tissues was erythrocyte greater than liver greater than fibroblasts. Based on purine enzyme activities, erythrocytes offer a unique system to study adenine salvage; fibroblasts to study adenine degradation; and liver to study both salvage and degradation.     

Purification and characterization of the oxygen-sensitive acetohydroxy acid synthase from the archaebacterium Methanococcus aeolicus.

Acetohydroxy acid synthase (EC 4.1.3.18) of the archaebacterium Methanococcus aeolicus was purified 1,150-fold to homogeneity. The molecular weight of the purified enzyme was 125,000, and it contained only one type of subunit (M(r) = 58,000). The amino-terminal sequence had 46 to 57% similarity to those of the large subunits of the eubacterial anabolic enzymes and 37 to 43% similarity to those of the yeast and plant enzymes. The methanococcal enzyme had a pH optimum of 7.6. The pI, estimated by chromatofocusing, was 5.6. Activity required Mg2+ or Mn2+ ions, thiamine pyrophosphate, and a flavin. Flavin adenine dinucleotide, flavin mononucleotide, and riboflavin plus 10 mM phosphate all supported activity. However, activity was strongly inhibited by these flavins at 0.3 mM. The Michaelis constants for pyruvate, MgCl2, MnCl2, thiamine pyrophosphate, flavin adenine dinucleotide, and flavin mononucleotide were 6.8 mM, 0.3 mM, 0.16 mM, 1.6 microM, 0.4 microM, and 1.3 microM, respectively. In cell extracts, the enzyme was sensitive to O2 (half-life = 2.7 min with 5% O2 in the headspace), but the purified enzyme was less sensitive to O2 (half-life = 78.0 min with 20% O2). Reconstitution of the enzyme with flavin adenine dinucleotide increased the sensitivity to O2. Moreover, in the assay the homogeneous enzyme was rapidly inactivated by O2, and the concentration required for 50% inhibition (I50) was obtained with an atmosphere of 0.11% O2. The methanococcal enzyme has similarities to the eubacterial and eucaryotic enzymes, consistent with the ancient origin of the archaebacterial enzyme.     

Purification and some properties of cholesterol oxidase from Schizophyllum commune with covalently bound flavin.

Cholesterol oxidase [EC 1.1.3.6] from Schizophyllum commune was purified by an affinity chromatography using 3-O-succinylcholesterol-ethylenediamine (3-cholesteryl-3-[2-aminoethylamido]propionate) Sepharose gels. The resulting preparation was homogeneous as judged by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated to be 53,000 by SDS-gel electrophoresis and 46,000 by sedimentation equilibrium. The enzyme contained 483 amino acid residues as calculated on the basis of the molecular weight of 53,000. The enzyme consumed 60 mumol of O2/min per mg of protein with 1.3 mM cholesterol at 37 degrees C. The enzyme showed the highest activity with cholesterol; 3 beta-hydroxysteroids, such as dehydroepiandrosterone, pregnenolone, and lanosterol, were also oxidized at slower rates. Ergosterol was not oxidized by the enzyme. The Km for cholesterol was 0.33 mM and the optimal pH was 5.0. The enzyme is a flavoprotein which shows a visible absorption spectrum having peaks at 353 nm and 455 nm in 0.1 M acetate buffer, pH 4.0. The spectrum was characterized by the hypsochromic shift of the second absorption peak of the bound flavin. The bound flavin was reduced on anaerobic addition of a model substrate, dehydroepiandrosterone. Neither acid not heat treatment released the flavin coenzyme from the enzyme protein. The flavin of the enzyme could be easily released from the enzyme protein in acid-soluble form as flavin peptides when the enzyme protein was digested with trypsin plus chymotrypsin. The mobilities of the aminoacyl flavin after hydrolysis of the flavin peptides on thin layer chromatography and high voltage electrophoresis differed from those of free FAD, FMN, and riboflavin. A pKa value of 5.1 was obtained from pH-dependent fluorescence quenching process of the aminoacyl flavin. AMP was detected by hydrolysis of the flavin peptides with nucleotide pyrophosphatase. The results indicate strongly that cholesterol oxidase from Schizophyllum commune contains FAD as the prothetic group, which is covalently linked to the enzyme protein. The properties of the bound FAD were comparable to those of N (1)-histidyl FAD.     

Entamoeba histolytica: flavins in axenic organisms.

The individual flavin species of axenic Entamoeba histolytica were assayed: separated riboflavin was assayed by the lumiflavin method; flavin-adenine dinucleotide (FAD), by an enzymatic method; flavin mononucleotide (FMN) was calculated from the difference, total flavin minus FAD and riboflavin. The amount of flavin in micrograms per grams fresh cells follows: total flavin, 7.6 ± 0.9 calculated as riboflavin; riboflavin, 1.6 ± 0.7; FMN, 6.6 ± 0.5; and FAD, 1.2 ± 0.1. Recalculated to nanomoles per milligrams total amebal protein these values were: total flavin, 0.21; riboflavin, 0.04; FMN, 0.15; and FAD, 0.02. The identity of each flavin was confirmed by a paper chromatographic method. Analyses on Panmede, the main source of flavins in the TP-S-1 medium, indicate that it contains all three forms of flavin. Its contribution to growth medium in micrograms per milliliters: riboflavin, 2.1 ± 0.3; FMN, 0.6 ± 0.1; and FAD, 0.4 ± 0.1. The in vivo biosynthesis of FMN and FAD from riboflavin by E. histolytica is demonstrated. A new and convenient method was found to separate riboflavin from flavin nucleotides in tissue extracts.     

Purification, properties, and function of flavokinase from rat intestinal mucosa

Flavokinase (ATP:riboflavin 5'-phosphotransferase) [EC 2.7.1.26] was purified to apparent homogeneity from rat intestinal mucosa by fractionation with ammonium sulfate, gel filtration, and flavin affinity chromatography. The addition of ATP to the enzyme solution was necessary for its binding to the affinity gel. The apparent molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated to be 13,500 by gel filtration on Sephadex G-100 and by SDS-PAGE. The properties of the enzyme, including its flavin specificity, were studied. Three types of riboflavin analogues were used for the flavin specificity study; namely, ones modified at the ribityl group, and at positions 3 and 8 of the isoalloxazine ring. Of the analogues modified at the ribityl group or position 3 of the isoalloxazine ring, only 2'-deoxyriboflavin was phosphorylated and then only weakly. On the other hand, most analogues modified at position 8 of the isoalloxazine ring were good substrates for the kinase, an appropriate increase in the substituent volume at position 8 of the isoalloxazine ring resulting in an increase in the Vmax value. In a previous paper on the mechanism of intestinal absorption of riboflavin, we proposed that one of the specific processes for the absorption of riboflavin is phosphorylation by flavokinase [Kasai, S. et al. (1988) J. Nutr. Sci. Vitaminol. 34, 265-280]. The present results support this conclusion because analogues that were absorbed at low concentrations through a process specific for riboflavin in our previous study were phosphorylated effectively by the enzyme, whereas those that were absorbed solely through simple diffusion at all concentrations were not phosphorylated or only phosphorylated weakly. The properties of the flavokinases from intestinal mucosa and liver were compared.     

Adenine nucleotide metabolism in relation to purine enzymes in liver,erythrocytes and cultured fibroblasts

To evaluate the regulation of adenine nucleotide metabolism in relation to purine enzyme activities in rat liver, human erythrocytes and cultured human skin fibroblasts, rapid and sensitive assays for the purine enzymes, adenosine deaminase (EC 2.5.4.4), adenosine kinase (EC 2.7.1.20), hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (EC 2.4.28), adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (EC 2.4.2.7) and 5′-nucleotidase (EC 3.1.3.5) were standardized for these tissues. Adenosine deaminase was assayed by measuring the formation of product, inosine (plus traces of hypoxanthine), isolated chromatographically with 95% recovery of inosine. The other enzymes were assayed by isolating the labelled product or substrate nucleotides as lanthanum salts. Fibroblast enzymes were assayed using thin-layer chromatographic procedures because the high levels of 5′-nucleotidase present in this tissue interferred with the formation of LaCl₃ salts. The lanthanum and the thin-layer chromatographic methods agreed with-in 10%.Liver cell sap had the highest activities of all purine enzymes except for 5′-nucleotidase and adenosine deaminase which were highest in fibroblasts. Erythrocytes had lowest activities of all except for hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase which was intermediate between the liver and fibroblasts. Erythrocytes were devoid of 5′-nucleotidase activity. Hepatic adenosine kinase activity was thought to control the rate of loss of adenine nucleotides in the tissue.Erythrocytes had excellent purine salvage capacity, but due to the relatively low activity of adenosine deaminase, deamination might be rate limiting in the formation of guanine nucleotides. Fibroblasts, with high levels of 5′-nucleotidase, have the potential to catabolize adenine nucleotides beyond the control of adenosine kinase. The purine salvage capacity in the three tissues was erythrocyte > liver > fibroblasts. Based on purine enzyme activities, erythrocytes offer a unique system to study adenine salvage; fibroblasts to study adenine degradation; and liver to study both salvage and degradation.     

Riboflavin analogs and inhibitors of riboflavin biosynthesis

Flavins are active components of many enzymes. In most cases, riboflavin (vitamin B₂) as a coenzyme represents the catalytic part of the holoenzyme. Riboflavin is an amphiphatic molecule and allows a large variety of different interactions with the enzyme itself and also with the substrate. A great number of active riboflavin analogs can readily be synthesized by chemical methods and, thus, a large number of possible inhibitors for many different enzyme targets is conceivable. As mammalian and especially human biochemistry depends on flavins as well, the target of the inhibiting flavin analog has to be carefully selected to avoid unwanted effects. In addition to flavoproteins, enzymes, which are involved in the biosynthesis of flavins, are possible targets for anti-infectives. Only a few flavin analogs or inhibitors of flavin biosynthesis have been subjected to detailed studies to evaluate their biological activity. Nevertheless, flavin analogs certainly have the potential to serve as basic structures for the development of novel anti-infectives and it is possible that, in the future, the urgent need for new molecules to fight multiresistant microorganisms will be met.     

Fatty acid utilization during development of the rat

The effects of dimethyl sulphoxide and glycerol on ox brain microsomal Na(+)+K(+)-stimulated adenosine triphosphatase (EC 3.6.1.3), K(+)-stimulated p-nitrophenyl phosphatase and K(+)-dependent muscle pyruvate kinase (EC 2.7.1.40) were studied. Dimethyl sulphoxide at concentrations below 20% (v/v) was found to stimulate the p-nitrophenyl phosphatase and pyruvate kinase by increasing their affinity for K(+) but to inhibit the Na(+)+K(+)-stimulated adenosine triphosphatase. The latter enzyme activity was also inhibited by glycerol, which like dimethyl sulphoxide, stimulated the K(+)-activated p-nitrophenyl phosphatase at a wide range of concentrations. The solvent effects were promptly reversed by dilution. Similarity was found between glycerol and dimethyl sulphoxide, on one hand, and ATP, on the other, in their stimulatory effect and their ability to increase the ouabain- and oligomycin-sensitivity of the K(+)-stimulated p-nitrophenyl phosphatase. However, only the solvents, not the ATP, increased the binding of K(+) by the microsomes. From the above findings it is suggested that solvents may act on K(+)-dependent enzymes by altering the state of solvation of the activating cation as well as by changing the enzyme structure.     

Riboflavin deficiency is associated with selective preservation of critical flavoenzyme-dependent metabolic pathways.

Riboflavin is a water soluble vitamin that serves as a precursor of flavin mononucleotide and flavin adenine dinucleotide. These two compounds are coenzymes in a variety of electron transfer reactions that occur in energy producing, biosynthetic, detoxifying and electron scavenging pathways. When an organism is confronted with inadequate dietary riboflavin, characteristic changes occur in the cellular distribution of the various flavin fractions as well as in the activities of flavin-dependent enzymes. These changes suggest a specific hierarchic response to riboflavin deficiency, e.g. the core electron transfer chain required for ATP synthesis is preserved while the enzymes required for the first step of fatty acid beta-oxidation are diminished. The mechanisms by which the specific changes in enzyme activity are mediated have not been completely identified, but appear to result from a combination of diminished access of normal or near normal levels of apoenzyme to coenzyme and diminished abundance of apoenzyme. The changes in apoenzyme content potentially result from alterations in either protein stability or gene expression. The response to riboflavin deficiency of several key enzyme systems and the pathways affected will be discussed and a hierarchic order by which specific enzyme activities are preserved while others are decreased will be proposed. The current understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which these changes are mediated will be discussed.     

Rat Brain Synaptosomal ATP:AMP-Phosphotransferase Activity

Adenylate kinase activity (ATP:AMP-phosphotransferase; EC 2.7.4.3) was studied in various subcellular fractions of rat brain tissues. Because of the presence of other adenosine nucleotide-utilizing enzymes, adenylate kinase activity was assayed in both the forward and reverse directions by using coupled enzyme systems and by using a specific adenylate kinase inhibitor, P1,P5-di(adenosine-5') pentaphosphate. As expected, the highest specific adenylate kinase activity (2.89 mumol/min/mg of protein) was detected in the cytosolic brain fraction. However, substantial enzyme activity (0.68 mumol/min/mg) was also found in the intact synaptosomal fraction isolated on Percoll/sucrose gradients. The increased specific enzyme activity of purified synaptosomes and the differences found between the kinetic parameters of the membrane-bound and cytosolic enzyme forms suggest that the synaptosomal adenylate kinase activity cannot be attributed to the small amount of contaminating cytosol present in our preparations. The adenylate kinase enzyme adhered to purified synaptic plasma membranes and was not released by washings with isoosmotic sucrose medium. The facts that the adenylate kinase enzyme activity could be measured in intact synaptosomal preparations and that both its substrates and its inhibitors do not cross intact plasma membranes support the possibility that the synaptosomal adenylate kinase is an ecto-enzyme.     

Crystal structure of Schizosaccharomyces pombe riboflavin kinase reveals a novel ATP and riboflavin-binding fold

The essential redox cofactors riboflavin monophosphate (FMN) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) are synthesised from their precursor, riboflavin, in sequential reactions by the metal-dependent riboflavin kinase and FAD synthetase. Here, we describe the 1.6A crystal structure of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe riboflavin kinase. The enzyme represents a novel family of phosphoryl transferring enzymes. It is a monomer comprising a central beta-barrel clasped on one side by two C-terminal helices that display an L-like shape. The opposite side of the beta-barrel serves as a platform for substrate binding as demonstrated by complexes with ADP and FMN. Formation of the ATP-binding site requires significant rearrangements in a short alpha-helix as compared to the substrate free form. The diphosphate moiety of ADP is covered by the glycine-rich flap I formed from parts of this alpha-helix. In contrast, no significant changes are observed upon binding of riboflavin. The ribityl side-chain might be covered by a rather flexible flap II. The unusual metal-binding site involves, in addition to the ADP phosphates, only the strictly conserved Thr45. This may explain the preference for zinc observed in vitro.     

Identification and characterization of an archaeon-specific riboflavin kinase

The riboflavin kinase in Methanocaldococcus jannaschii has been identified as the product of the MJ0056 gene. Recombinant expression of the MJ0056 gene in Escherichia coli led to a large increase in the amount of flavin mononucleotide (FMN) in the E. coli cell extract. The unexpected features of the purified recombinant enzyme were its use of CTP as the phosphoryl donor and the absence of a requirement for added metal ion to catalyze the formation of FMN. Identification of this riboflavin kinase fills another gap in the archaeal flavin biosynthetic pathway. Some divalent metals were found to be potent inhibitors of the reaction. The enzyme represents a unique CTP-dependent family of kinases.     

A novel two-protein component flavoprotein hydroxylase.

p-Hydroxyphenylacetate (HPA) hydroxylase (HPAH) was purified from Acinetobacter baumannii and shown to be a two-protein component enzyme. The small component (C1) is the reductase enzyme with a subunit molecular mass of 32 kDa. C1 alone catalyses HPA-stimulated NADH oxidation without hydroxylation of HPA. C1 is a flavoprotein with FMN as a native cofactor but can also bind to FAD. The large component (C2) is the hydroxylase component that hydroxylates HPA in the presence of C1. C2 is a tetrameric enzyme with a subunit molecular mass of 50 kDa and apparently contains no redox centre. FMN, FAD, or riboflavin could be used as coenzymes for hydroxylase activity with FMN showing the highest activity. Our data demonstrated that C2 alone was capable of utilizing reduced FMN to form the product 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetate. Mixing reduced flavin with C2 also resulted in the formation of a flavin intermediate that resembled a C(4a)-substituted flavin species indicating that the reaction mechanism of the enzyme proceeded via C(4a)-substituted flavin intermediates. Based on the available evidence, we conclude that the reaction mechanism of HPAH from A. baumannii is similar to that of bacterial luciferase. The enzyme uses a luciferase-like mechanism and reduced flavin (FMNH2, FADH2, or reduced riboflavin) to catalyse the hydroxylation of aromatic compounds, which are usually catalysed by FAD-associated aromatic hydroxylases.     

Preparation and properties of immobilized riboflavin kinase from Pichia guilliermondii

Riboflavin kinase (ATP: riboflavin-5'-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.26) from n-alkane utilizing Pichia guilliermondii yeast has been immobilized by covalent attachment to CNBr-activated agarose beads. The enzyme activity yield during immobilization reached 71.6%. Immobilized riboflavin kinase showed no significant changes in temperature and pH optima as well as in specificity of the action in relation to synthetic substrate analogues with the substitution of methyl groups at positions 7 and 8 of the isoalloxazine ring. Immobilized riboflavin kinase was stable during FMN synthesis in the continuous-flow packed column enzyme reactor with half-life of 27 days.