Effects of molecular weight of dextran and NAD+ density on coenzyme activity of high molecular weight NAD+ derivative covalently bound to dextran

NAD⁺ has been covalently attached to dextrans having different molecular weights to give various NAD⁺ densities (mol NAD⁺ per mol d-glucosyl residue). The effects of molecular weight of dextran and of NAD⁺ density on the coenzyme activity of the dextran-bound NAD⁺ derivatives were examined for the reactions catalysed by alcohol dehydrogenase (alcohol: NAD⁺ oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.1.1) and lactate dehydrogenase (l-lactate:NAD⁺ oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.1.27). The molecular weight of dextran had little effect on coenzyme activity in the range 10 000 to 500 000. At low NAD⁺ density (<0.05 mol NAD⁺/mol d-glucosyl residue), the coenzyme activities of the derivatives were relatively low, but higher densities had little effect on the activity. Dextran-bound NAD⁺ derivatives were twice as stable as free NAD⁺.