Purification and Properties of NADH:Nitrate Reductase from the Red Alga Porphyra yezoensis

Assimilatory nitrate reductase (NADH) (EC 1.6.6.1 EC] ) from thered alga Porphyra yezoensis was purified 5,700-fold by a combinationof polyethylene glycol (PEG) treatment, ammonium sulfate fractionation,chromatography on columns of butyl-Toyopearl 650-M, Blue SepharoseCL-6B, DEAE-cellulose (DE 52), and hydroxyapatite, gel filtrationon Sephacryl S-400. The purest preparation of the enzyme hada specific activity of 12.5 units mg^–1 protein. A singleband of protein was detected after polyacrylamide gel electrophoresisunder nondenaturing conditions. This band corresponded to aband that stained positive for reduced methyl viologen-nitratereductase activity. The molecular weight of the native enzymewas estimated to be 220,000. A single band of a protein witha molecular weight of 100,000 was detected after sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. These results indicatethat the native nitrate reductase is composed of two identicalsubunits. The homogeneous preparation of nitrate reductase hada UV/visible spectrum typical of a b-type cytochrome. The K_mvalues for NADH and KNO₃ were 23 µM and 64 µM, respectively.The pH optimum for the reaction catalyzed by the nitrate reductasewas 8.3, while pH values that supported maximum partial activitiesranged from 7.0 to 8.5. Sulfhydryl reagents, such as p-HMB andNEM, inhibited full and NADH-utilizing partial activities, whilecyanide and azide were effective inhibitors of full and nitrate-reducingpartial activities. (Received March 3, 1993; Accepted September 6, 1993)