Novel FMN-containing rotenone-insensitive NADH dehydrogenase from Trypanosoma brucei mitochondria: isolation and characterization

A rotenone-insensitive NADH dehydrogenase has been isolated from the mitochondria of the procyclic form of African parasite, Trypanosoma brucei. The active form of the purified enzyme appears to be a dimer consisting of two 33-kDa subunits with noncovalently bound FMN as a cofactor. Hypotonic treatment of intact mitochondria revealed that the NADH dehydrogenase is located in the inner membrane/matrix fraction facing the matrix. The treatment of mitochondria with increasing concentrations of digitonin suggested that the NADH dehydrogenase is loosely bound to the inner mitochondrial membrane. The NADH:ubiquinone reductase activity is insensitive to rotenone, flavone, or dicumarol; however, it was inhibited by diphenyl iodonium in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Maximum inhibition by diphenyl iodonium required preincubation with NADH to reduce the flavin. More complete inhibition was obtained with the more hydrophobic electron acceptors, such as Q(1) or Q(2), as compared to the more hydrophilic ones, such as Q(0) or dichloroindophenol. Kinetic analysis of the enzyme indicated that the enzyme followed a ping-pong mechanism. The enzyme conducts a one-electron transfer and can reduce molecular oxygen forming superoxide radical.     

Isolation and characterization of a NADH-dehydrogenase from rat liver mitochondria

Mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase has been purified from rat liver mitochondria by protamine sulfate fractionation and DEAE-Sephadex chromatography. The enzyme is water-soluble and its molecular weight has been estimated at 400 +/- 50 kilodaltons. NADH-ferricyanide reductase and NADH cytochrome c reductase activities have been studied and the kinetic parameters have been determined. Both substrates, NADH and the electron acceptor (ferricyanide or cytochrome c) have an inhibitor effect on the reductase activities and the kinetic mechanism of the enzyme is ping-pong bi-bi.     

Three-dimensional structure of NADH: ubiquinone reductase (complex I) from Neurospora mitochondria determined by electron microscopy of membrane crystals

NADH: ubiquinone reductase (electron transfer complex I) has been isolated from Neurospora crassa mitochondria as a monodisperse protein-phospholipid-Triton X-100 complex (1:0.04:0.15, by weight). The enzyme is in the monomeric state, has a protein molecular weight of 610,000 and consists of about 25 different subunits. Membrane crystals of the enzyme complex have been prepared by adding mixed phospholipid-Triton X-100 micelles and then removing the Triton by dialysis. Diffraction patterns of the negatively stained membrane crystals extend to about 3.9 nm, with a unit cell size of 19 nm X 38 nm and gamma = 90 degrees. The two-sided plane group packing corresponding to pgg is p22(1)2(1). By combining four sets of tilted views, a low-resolution three-dimensional structure of the protein has been calculated. The structure shows that NADH: ubiquinone reductase extends 15 nm across the membrane, projecting 9 nm from one membrane side and 1 nm from the opposite side. Only about one-third of the total protein mass is located in the membrane. The structure of NADH: ubiquinone reductase is compared with that of ubiquinol: cytochrome c reductase determined by electron microscopy of membrane crystals.     

The NADH dehydrogenase of the respiratory chain of Escherichia coli. II. Kinetics of the purified enzyme and the effects of antibodies elicited against it on membrane-bound and free enzyme.

The purified respiratory chain NADH dehydrogenase of Escherichia coli oxidizes NADH with either dichlorophenolindophenol (DCIP). ferricyanide, or menadione as electron acceptors, with values for NADH are similar with the three electron acceptors (approximately 50 muM). The purified enzyme contains no flavin and has an absolute requirement for FAD, with Km values around 4 muM. The pH optimum of the enzyme appears to be between 6.5 and 7; the optimum is difficult to establish because of nonenzymatic reduction of DCIP at the lower pH values. Potassium cyanide stimulates the DCIP reductase activity about 2-fold, but has no effect on ferricyanide reductase. The enzyme exhibits hyperbolic kinetics with respect to NADH concentration in both the ferricyanide and DCIP reductase assays, but cooperatively is seen in the menadione reductase reaction. NAD+ is an effective competitive inhibitor of the reaction (Ki congruent to 20 muM); in the presence of NAD+, the NADH saturation curve becomes cooperative, even in the DCIP reductase assay. Many adenine containing nucleotides are competitive inhibitors of the enzyme. The apparent Ki values for these nucleotides as inhibitors of the purified enzyme, the membrane-bound NADH dehydrogenase, and the NADH oxidase are equivalent. An examination of inhibitory effects of a series of adenine nucleotides suggests that the inhibitors act as analogues of NAD+, which is the true physiological inhibitor. The results suggest that the enzyme in situ is always partially inhibited by the levels of NAD- in the E coli cell, and thus behaves in a cooperative fashion to changes in the NAD+/NADH ratio. An antibody has been elicited against the purified NADH dehydrogenase. Immunodiffusion and crossed immunoelectrophoresis show that the antibody is directed principally against the NADH dehydrogenase, with some activity against minor contaminants in the purified preparation. The antibody inhibits NADH dehydrogenase activity 50% at saturating levels. When this antibody preparation is used to examine solubilized membrane preparations, two major immunoprecipitates are found. A parallel inhibition of the membrane-bound NADH dehydrogenase and NADH oxidase activities is seen, supporting the hypothesis that the purified enzyme is indeed a component of the respiratory chain-dependent NADH oxidase pathway.     

NADH diferric transferrin reductase in liver plasma membrane

Evidence is presented that rat liver plasma membranes contain a distinct NADH diferric transferrin reductase. Three different assay procedures for demonstration of the activity are described. The enzyme activity is highest in isolated plasma membrane, and activity in other internal membranes is one-eighth or less than in plasma membrane. The activity is inhibited by apotransferrin and antitransferrin antibodies. Trypsin treatment of the membranes leads to rapid loss of the transferrin reductase activity as compared with NADH ferricyanide reductase activity. Erythrocyte plasma membranes, which lack transferrin receptors, show no diferric transferrin reductase activity, although NADH ferricyanide reductase is present. The transferrin reductase is inhibited by agents that inhibit diferric transferrin reduction by intact cells and is activated by CHAPS (3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfate) detergent. Inhibitors of mitochondrial electron transport have no effect on the activity. We propose that the NADH diferric transferrin reductase in plasma membranes measures the activity of the enzyme that causes the reduction of diferric transferrin by intact cells. This transmembrane electron transport system requires the transferrin receptor for diferric transferrin reduction. Because the transmembrane electron transport has been shown to stimulate cell growth, the reduction of diferric transferrin at the cell surface may be an important function for diferric transferrin in stimulation of cell growth, in addition to its role in iron transport.     

The stereospecificity,purification, and characterization of an NADH-ferricyanide reductase from spinach leaf plasma membrane

Summary The stereospecificity of NADH-ferricyanide reductase activities in the inner mitochondrial membrane, peroxisomal membrane, plasma membrane and tonoplast are all specific for the -hydrogen of NADH whereas the reductases in the ER, the Golgi and the outer mitochondrial membrane are -specific. This shows unequivocally that the NADH-ferricyanide activity in the plasma membrane is not caused by ER contamination. In all the membranes one or several polypeptides with an apparent size of 45–50 kDa cross-react with antibodies raised against a microsomal NADH-ferricyanide reductase. An NADH-ferricyanide reductase was purified from spinach leaf plasma membranes. The enzyme was released from the membrane by CHAPS solubilization and purified 360-fold by ion-exchange chromatography followed by affinity chromatography and size exclusion chromatography on FPLC. A major band of 45 kDa was detected by SDS-PAGE and it cross-reacted with the anti-NADH-ferricyanide reductase antibodies. The native size of the enzyme is 160 kDa as determined by size-exclusion chromatography indicating that it is a tetramer. Isoelectric focusing revealed three isoenzymes between pH 5.3 and 5.6. The enzyme shows typical FAD fluorescence spectra with excitation peaks at 371 and 468 nm and an emission peak at 525 nm. It is specific for the -hydrogen of NADH and prefers NADH over NADPH as electron donor. It is highly specific for ferricyanide as electron acceptor and it is therefore unlikely to be the enzyme responsible for iron reduction on the outer surface of the plasma membrane.Abbreviations CHAPS 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammoniol]-1-propanesulfonate - DQ duroquinone - FPLC fast protein liquid chromatography; Ferricyanide hexacyanoferrate(III) - NEM N-ethylmaleimide - PCMB p-chloromercurobenzoate - SHAM salicylhydroxamic acid - SMP submitochondrial particles     

Studies of pyridine nucleotide oxidizing enzymes from human neutrophils

An NADH cytochrome c reductase has been identified in plasma membrane fractions from neutrophils in addition to the superoxide producing NADPH oxidase which has been extensively studied by other investigators. Activation of neutrophils resulted in increased enzyme activities but to different degrees; the NADH cytochrome c reductase increased 2 fold in specific activity and the NADPH oxidase 30 fold. Treatment of the plasma membrane fraction with sonication and differential centrifugation yielded a particulate fraction (R2) with a 2 fold increase in specific activities of both enzymes and concentrations of cytochrome b and FAD. The cytochrome b in the preparation was not reduced under anaerobic conditions by either NADH or NADPH. Treatment of preparations of R2 with deoxycholate or potassium thiocyanate separated the two enzymes yielding particulate preparations with only NADPH oxidase or NADH cytochrome c reductase activity, respectively.     

Putting together a plasma membrane NADH oxidase: A tale of three laboratories

The observation that high cellular concentrations of NADH were associated with low adenylate cyclase activity led to a search for the mechanism of the effect. Since cyclase is in the plasma membrane, we considered the membrane might have a site for NADH action, and that NADH might be oxidized at that site. A test for NADH oxidase showed very low activity, which could be increased by adding growth factors. The plasma membrane oxidase was not inhibited by inhibitors of mitochondrial NADH oxidase such as cyanide, rotenone or antimycin. Stimulation of the plasma membrane oxidase by iso-proterenol or triiodothyronine was different from lack of stimulation in endoplasmic reticulum. After 25 years of research, three components of a trans membrane NADH oxidase have been discovered. Flavoprotein NADH coenzyme Q reductases (NADH cytochrome b reductase) on the inside, coenzyme Q in the middle, and a coenzyme Q oxidase on the outside as a terminal oxidase. The external oxidase segment is a copper protein with unique properties in timekeeping, protein disulfide isomerase and endogenous NADH oxidase activity, which affords a mechanism for control of cell growth by the overall NADH oxidase and the remarkable inhibition of oxidase activity and growth of cancer cells by a wide range of anti-tumor drugs. A second trans plasma membrane electron transport system has been found in voltage dependent anion channel (VDAC), which has NADH ferricyanide reductase activity. This activity must be considered in relation to ferricyanide stimulation of growth and increased VDAC antibodies in patients with autism.     

NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductases of the Escherichia coli aerobic respiratory chain

Deamino-NADH/ubiquinone 1 oxidoreductase activity in membrane preparations from Escherichia coli GR19N is 20-50% of NADH/ubiquinone 1 oxidoreductase activity. In comparison, membranes from E. coli IY91, which contain amplified levels of NADH dehydrogenase, exhibit about 100-fold higher NADH/ubiquinone 1 reductase activity but about 20-fold less deamino-NADH/ubiquinone 1 reductase activity. Deamino-NADH/ubiquinone 1 reductase is more sensitive than NADH/ubiquinone 1 reductase activity to inhibition by 3-undecyl-2-hydroxyl-1,4-naphthoquinone, piericidin A, or myxothiazol. Furthermore, GR19N membranes exhibit two apparent Kms for NADH but only one for deamino-NADH. Inside-out membrane vesicles from E. coli GR19N generate a H+ electrochemical gradient (interior positive and acid) during electron transfer from deamino-NADH to ubiquinone 1 that is large and stable relative to that observed with NADH as substrate. Generation of the H+ electrochemical gradient in the presence of deamino-NADH is inhibited by 3-undecyl-2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone and is not observed in IY91 membrane vesicles or in vesicles from GR19N that are deficient in deamino-NADH/ubiquinone 1 reductase activity. The data provide a strong indication that the E. coli aerobic respiratory chain contains two species of NADH dehydrogenases: (i) an enzyme (NADH dh I) that reacts with deamino-NADH or NADH whose turnover leads to generation of a H+ electrochemical gradient at a site between the primary dehydrogenase and ubiquinone and (ii) an enzyme (NADH dh II) that reacts with NADH exclusively whose turnover does not lead to generation of a H+ electrochemical gradient between the primary dehydrogenase and ubiquinone 1.     

Recycling of the ascorbate free radical by human erythrocyte membranes.

Reduction of the ascorbate free radical (AFR) at the plasma membrane provides an efficient mechanism to preserve the vitamin in a location where it can recycle alpha-tocopherol and thus prevent lipid peroxidation. Erythrocyte ghost membranes have been shown to oxidize NADH in the presence of the AFR. We report that this activity derives from an AFR reductase because it spares ascorbate from oxidation by ascorbate oxidase, and because ghost membranes decrease steady-state concentrations of the AFR in a protein- and NADH-dependent manner. The AFR reductase has a high apparent affinity for both NADH and the AFR (< 2 microM). When measured in open ghosts, the reductase is comprised of an inner membrane activity (both substrate sites on the cytosolic membrane face) and a trans-membrane activity that mediates extracellular AFR reduction using intracellular NADH. However, the trans-membrane activity constitutes only about 12% of the total measured in ghosts. Ghost AFR reductase activity can also be differentiated from NADH-dependent ferricyanide reductase(s) by its sensitivity to the detergent Triton X-100 and insensitivity to enzymatic digestion with cathepsin D. This NADH-dependent AFR reductase could serve to recycle ascorbic acid at a crucial site on the inner face of the plasma membrane.     

Purification and properties of a NADH-dependent 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase from Peptostreptococcus productus

The methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase from the carbon-monoxide-utilizing homoacetogen Peptostreptococcus productus (strain Marburg) has been purified to apparent homogeneity. The purified enzyme catalyzed the oxidation of NADH with methylenetetrahydrofolate as the electron acceptor at a specific activity of 380 mumols.min-1 mg protein-1 (37 degrees C; pH 5.5). The apparent Km for NADH was near 10 microM. The apparent molecular mass of the enzyme was determined by gel filtration to be approximately 250.0 kDa. The enzyme consists of eight identical subunits with a molecular mass of 32 kDa. It contains 4 FAD/mol octamer which were reduced by the enzyme with NADH as the electron donor; iron could not be detected. Oxygen had no effect on the enzyme. Ultracentrifugation of cell extracts revealed that about 40% of the enzyme activity was recovered in the particulate fraction, suggesting that the enzyme is associated with the membrane. The enzyme also catalyzed the methylenetetrahydrofolate reduction with methylene blue as an artificial electron donor. The oxidation of methyltetrahydrofolate was mediated with methylene blue as the electron acceptor; neither NAD+ nor viologen dyes could replace methylene blue in this reaction. NADP(H) or FAD(H2) were not used to substrates for the reaction in either direction. The activity of the purified enzyme, which was proposed to be involved in sodium translocation across the cytoplasmic membrane, was not affected by the absence or presence of added sodium. The properties of the enzyme differ from those of the ferredoxin-dependent methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase of the homoacetogen Clostridium formicoaceticum and of the NADP(+)-dependent reductase of eucaryotes investigated so far.     

Demonstration and possible function of NADH:NAD+ transhydrogenase from ascaris muscle mitochondria.

Mitochondria from the muscle of Ascaris lumbricoides var. suis function anaerobically. NADH is generated in the intermembrane space as a consequence of the "malic" enzyme reaction. It has been suggested that this reducing equivalent in the form of hydride ion, would be translocated across the inner membrane in order to mediate ATP generation via the fumarate reductase reaction. In accord with this suggestion, intact Ascaris mitochondria showed appreciable NADH oxidase activity. Sonication resulted in an approximately 2-fold increase in NADH oxidase activity, whereas "malic" enzyme, fumarase, and NADH:NAD+ transhydrogenase activities increased approximately 7- to 14-fold, respectively. Phosphorylation capabilities and permeability toward pyridine nucleotides also indicated the intactness of the mitochondria. Ascaris mitochondria incubated anaerobically in the presence of fumarate, and [14C]NADH catalyzed a rapid reduction of the fumarate to succinate with the concomitant formation of equivalent quantities of extramitochondrial NAD+. However, very little isotope was recovered from the washed mitochondria, indicating the possibility of hydride ion translocation in the absence of nucleotide translocation. NADH:NAD+ transhydrogenase has been isolated from the muscle mitochondria of the intestinal nematode, Ascaris lumbricoides var. suis. The enzyme seems to have been solubilized from the mitochondrial membrane fraction by treatment with sodium deoxycholate followed by dialysis and subsequent adsorption by and elution from alumina C gamma. No NADPH:NAD+ transhydrogenase activity was detectable, making the Ascaris system unique over others reported. Activity was protected by L-cysteine, reduced glutathione and dithioerythritol, but strongly inhibited by low concentrations of p-chloromercuribenzoate or silver nitrate. The thionicotinamide derivative of NAD+ (thioNAD+) was employed to accept hydride ions from NADH in order to assay spectrophotometrically at 398 nm. Apparent Km values for thioNAD+ and NADH were 1 X 10(-4) M and 8 X 10(-6) M, respectively. That the physiological nucleotide, could act as hydride ion acceptor from NADH was indicated by the findings that NAD+ competitively inhibited the reduction of thioNAD+ when assayed at 398 nm. The additional finding of a noncompetitive inhibition between NAD+ and NADH suggested at least two binding sites on the enzyme, one for NADH and another common site for NAD+ and thioNAD+. More conclusive evidence indicating the participation of NAD+ as acceptor was obtained by incubation of the enzyme with NADH and [14C]NAD+ and demonstrating a rapid formation of [14C]NADH. These findings, in conjunction with those discussed above, suggest a physiological function of this enzyme in hydride ion translocation.     

Pyridine nucleotide specificity of barley nitrate reductase

NADPH nitrate reductase activity in higher plants has been attributed to the presence of NAD(P)H bispecific nitrate reductases and to the presence of phosphatases capable of hydrolyzing NADPH to NADH. To determine which of these conditions exist in barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Steptoe), we characterized the NADH and NADPH nitrate reductase activities in crude and affinity-chromatography-purified enzyme preparations. The pH optima were 7.5 for NADH and 6 to 6.5 for the NADPH nitrate reductase activities. The ratio of NADPH to NADH nitrate reductase activities was much greater in crude extracts than it was in a purified enzyme preparation. However, this difference was eliminated when the NADPH assays were conducted in the presence of lactate dehydrogenase and pyruvate to eliminate NADH competitively. The addition of lactate dehydrogenase and pyruvate to NADPH nitrate reductase assay media eliminated 80 to 95% of the NADPH nitrate reductase activity in crude extracts. These results suggest that a substantial portion of the NADPH nitrate reductase activity in barley crude extracts results from enzyme(s) capable of converting NADPH to NADH. This conversion may be due to a phosphatase, since phosphate and fluoride inhibited NADPH nitrate reductase activity to a greater extent than the NADH activity. The NADPH activity of the purified nitrate reductase appears to be an inherent property of the barley enzyme, because it was not affected by lactate dehydrogenase and pyruvate. Furthermore, inorganic phosphate did not accumulate in the assay media, indicating that NADPH was not converted to NADH. The wild type barley nitrate reductase is a NADH-specific enzyme with a slight capacity to use NADPH.     

The enzymic reduction of glyoxylate and hydroxypyruvate in leaves of higher plants

Glyoxylate and hydroxypyruvate are metabolites involved in the pathway of carbon in photorespiration. The chief glyoxylate-reducing enzyme in leaves is now known to be a cytosolic glyoxylate reductase that uses NADPH as the preferred cofactor but can also use NADH. Glyoxylate reductase has been isolated from spinach leaves, purified to homogeneity, and characterized kinetically and structurally. Chloroplasts contain lower levels of glyoxylate reductase activity supported by both NADPH and NADH, but it is not yet known whether a single chloroplastic enzyme catalyzes glyoxylate reduction with both cofactors. The major hydroxypyruvate reductase activity of leaves has long been known to be a highly active enzyme located in peroxisomes; it uses NADH as the preferred cofactor. To a lesser extent, NADPH can also be used by the peroxisomal enzyme. A second hydroxypyruvate reductase enzyme is located in the cytosol; it preferentially uses NADPH but can also use NADH as cofactor. In a barley mutant deficient in peroxisomal hydroxypyruvate reductase, the NADPH-preferring cytosolic form of the enzyme permits sufficient rates of hydroxypyruvate reduction to support continued substrate flow through the terminal stages of the photosynthetic carbon oxidation (glycolate/glycerate) pathway. The properties and metabolic significance of the cytosolic and organelle-localized glyoxylate and hydroxypyruvate reductase enzymes are discussed.     

Reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-nitrate reductase of Chlorella vulgaris. Purification, prosthetic groups, and molecular properties.

NADH:nitrate reductase (EC 1.6.6.1) from Chlorella vulgaris has been purified 640-fold with an over-all yield of 26% by a combination of protamine sulfate fractionation, ammonium sulfate fractionation, gel chromatography, density gradient centrifugation, and DEAE-chromatography. The purified enzyme is stable for more than 2 months when stored at minus 20 degrees in phosphate buffer (pH 6.9) containing 40% (v/v) glycerol. After the initial steps of the purification, a constant ratio of NADH:nitrate reductase activity to NADH:cytochrome c reductase and reduced methyl viologen:nitrate reductase activities was observed. One band of protein was detected after polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the purified enzyme. This band also gave a positive stain for heme, NADH dehydrogenase, and reduced methyl viologen:nitrate reductase. One band, corresponding to a molecular weight of 100, 000, was detected after sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The enzyme contains FAD, heme, and molybdenum in a 1:1:0.8 ratio. One "cyanide binding site" per molybdenum was found. No non-heme-iron or labile sulfide was detected. From a dry weight determination of the purified enzyme, a minimal molecular weight of 152, 000 per molecule of heme or FAD was calculated. An s20, w of 9.7 S for nitrate reductase was found by the use of sucrose density gradient centrifugation and a Stokes radius of 89 A was estimated by gel filtration techniques. From these values, and the assumption that the partial specific volume is 0.725 cc/g, a molecular weight of 356, 000 was estimated for the native enzyme. These data suggest that the native enzyme contains a minimum of 2 molecules each of FAD, heme, and molybdenum and is composed of at least three subunits.     

Ascorbate free-radical reduction by glyoxysomal membranes

Glyoxysomal membranes from germinating castor bean (Ricinus communis L. cv Hale) endosperm contain an NADH dehydrogenase. This enzyme can utilize extraorganellar ascorbate free-radical as a substrate and can oxidize NADH at a rate which can support intraglyoxysomal demand for NAD⁺. NADH:ascorbate free-radical reductase was found to be membrane-associated, and the activity remained in the membrane fraction after lysis of glyoxysomes by osmotic shock, followed by pelleting of the membranes. In whole glyoxysomes, NADH:ascorbate free-radical reductase, like NADH:ferricyanide reductase and unlike NADH:cytochrome c reductase, was insensitive to trypsin and was not inactivated by Triton X-100 detergent. These results suggest that ascorbate free-radical is reduced by the same component which reduces ferricyanide in the glyoxysomal membrane redox system. NADH:ascorbate free-radical reductase comigrated with NADH:ferricyanide and cytochrome c reductases when glyoxy-somal membranes were solubilized with detergent and subjected to rate-zonal centrifugation. The results suggest that ascorbate free-radical, when reduced to ascorbate by membrane redox system, could serve as a link between glyoxysomal metabolism and other cellular activities.     

Characteristics of a Nitrate Reductase in a Barley Mutant Deficient in NADH Nitrate Reductase

A barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) mutant, nar1a (formerly Az12), deficient in NADH nitrate reductase activity is, nevertheless, capable of growth with nitrate as the sole nitrogen source. In an attempt to identify the mechanism(s) of nitrate reduction in the mutant, nitrate reductase from nar1a was characterized to determine whether the residual activity is due to a leaky mutation or to the presence of a second nitrate reductase. The results obtained indicate that the nitrate reductase in nar1a differs from the wild-type enzyme in several important aspects. The pH optima for both the NADH and the NADPH nitrate reductase activities from nar1a were approximately pH 7.7, which is slightly greater than the pH 7.5 optimum for the NADH activity and considerably greater than the pH 6.0 to 6.5 optimum for the NADPH activity of the wild-type enzyme. The nitrate reductase from nar1a exhibits greater NADPH than NADH activity and has apparent K_m values for nitrate and NADH that are approximately 10 times greater than those of the wild-type enzyme. The nar1a nitrate reductase has apparent K_m values of 170 micromolar for NADPH and 110 micromolar for NADH. NADPH, but not NADH, inhibited the enzyme at concentrations greater than 50 micromolar.     

Kinetic properties of purified sheep lung microsomal NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase.

1. Lung NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase was saturated with its artificial substrate, potassium ferricyanide at approximately 0.1 mM ferricyanide concentration, and the activity of the lung enzyme was inhibited by the higher concentrations of potassium ferricyanide. Ferricyanide at 0.5 and 1.0 mM inhibited the activity of the enzyme by about 20 and 61% respectively. The apparent Km value was calculated as 13.7 microM potassium ferricyanide and 4.3 microM NADH. 2. The Michaelis constants for cytochrome b5 and NADH were determined to be 1.67 and 7.7 microM from the Lineweaver-Burk plots. These results demonstrate that affinity of the lung reductase for its natural substrate is almost 10 times higher than that for potassium ferricyanide. 3. Addition of non-ionic detergent stimulated the rate of reductase-catalyzed reduction of lung cytochrome b5 up to 8.2-fold. 4. Kinetic studies performed with lung reductase by varying NADH and cytochrome b5 concentrations at different fixed concentrations at cytochrome b5 or NADH showed a series of parallel lines indicating a "ping-pong" type of kinetic mechanism for interaction of NADH and cytochrome b5 with lung cytochrome b5 reductase.     

Purification and properties of alpha-ketoadipate reductase, a newly discovered enzyme from human placenta.

A newly discovered enzyme, α-ketoadipate reductase, has been purified 1000-fold from human placenta. This enzyme catalyzes the following reaction: α-ketoadipate + NADH + H⁺ → α-hydroxyadipate + NAD. The enzyme has an estimated molecular weight of 95,000 on gel filtration and an isoelectric point at pH 7.0 on electrofocusing. Several forms of the enzyme were isolated during purification. The pH optimum for the major form was 6.3. The reaction product of α-ketoadipate reductase was identified as α-hydroxyadipate by comparison of the enzyme product with chemically prepared α-hydroxyadipate. Studies of the reaction stoichiometry indicated that equimolar quantities of NADH and α-ketoadipate were used in the synthesis of an equivalent quantity of α-hydroxyadipate. Under conditions where the remaining lactate dehydrogenase and malate dehydrogenase were completely inhibited without affecting the α-ketoadipate reductase activity, it was found that α-ketoadipate reductase was highly specific for α-ketoadipate as substrate. NADPH could not substitute for NADH. Initial velocity experiments showed that NADH was an uncompetitive substrate inhibitor.     

The energy-conserving nitric-oxide-reductase system in Paracoccus denitrificans. Distinction from the nitrite reductase that catalyses synthesis of nitric oxide and evidence from trapping experiments for nitric oxide as a free intermediate during denitrification

1. A Clark-type electrode that responds to nitric oxide has been used to show that cytoplasmic membrane vesicles of Paracoccus denitrificans have a nitric-oxide reductase activity. Nitrous oxide is the reaction product. NADH, succinate or isoascorbate plus 2,3,5,6-tetramethyl-1,4-phenylene diamine can act as reductants. The NADH-dependent activity is resistant to freezing of the vesicles and thus the NADH:nitric-oxide oxidoreductase activity of stored frozen vesicles provides a method for calibrating the electrode by titration of dissolved nitric oxide with NADH. The periplasmic nitrite reductase and nitrous-oxide reductase enzymes are absent from the vesicles which indicates that nitric-oxide reductase is a discrete enzyme associated with the denitrification process. This conclusion was supported by the finding that nitric-oxide reductase activity was absent from both membranes prepared from aerobically grown P. denitrificans and bovine heart submitochondrial particles. 2. The NADH: nitric-oxide oxidoreductase activity was inhibited by concentrations of antimycin or myxothiazol that were just sufficient to inhibit the cytochrome bc1 complex of the ubiquinol--cytochrome-c oxidoreductase. The activity was deduced to be proton translocating by the observations of: (a) up to 3.5-fold stimulation upon addition of an uncoupler; and (b) ATP synthesis with a P:2e ratio of 0.75. 3. Nitrite reductase of cytochrome cd1 type was highly purified from P. denitrificans in a new, high-yield, rapid two- or three-step procedure. This enzyme catalysed stoichiometric synthesis of nitric oxide. This observation, taken together with the finding that the maximum rate of NADH:nitric-oxide oxidoreductase activity catalysed by the vesicles was comparable with that of NADH:nitrate-oxidoreductase, is consistent with a role for nitric-oxide reductase in the physiological conversion of nitrate or nitrite to dinitrogen gas. 4. Intact cells of P. denitrificans also reduced nitric oxide in an antimycin- or myxothiazol-sensitive manner. However, nitric oxide was not detected by the electrode during the reduction of nitrate. Nitric-oxide synthesis from nitrate could be detected with cells in the presence of very low concentrations of Triton X-100 which selectively inhibits nitric-oxide reductase activity. 5. Nitric oxide was detected as an intermediate in denitrification by including haemoglobin with an anaerobic suspension of cells that was reducing nitrate. The characteristic spectrum of the nitric oxide derivative of haemoglobin was observed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)