d-Ribulose-1,5-biphosphate carboxylase fromThiobacillus neapolitanus

d-Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase fromThiobacillus neapolitanus was isolated by differential centrifugation, sucrose density gradient centrifugation, and DEAE-Sephadex column chromatography. The specific activity of the purified enzyme was 2.8 μmol CO₂ fixed/min/mg protein. The enzyme's homogeneity was indicated by a single migrating band during polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis and as a single symmetrical schlieren peak that sedimented at a constant rate during ultracentrifugation. TheS _20,w was 18.2; the molecular weight, 500,000±20.000. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis resolved two polypeptide chains of 55,000 and 11,000 daltons. The pH optimum 0f 7.75 with 9 mM MgCl₂ shifted to 7.45 with 59 mM MgCl₂. Enzyme dialyzed free of Mg⁺⁺ was inactive and no other divalent cation substituted for Mg⁺⁺. TheK _m (Mg⁺⁺),K _m (CO₂), andK _m (RuBP) were 0.59 mM, 0.85 mM, and 0.092 mM, respectively. The inhibition by 6-phosphogluconate was competitive and no stimulation of activity could be demonstrated.