Newer knowledge of succinic dehydrogenase

FLAVINE ADENINE DINUCLEOTIDE-LINKED MALIC DEHYDROGENASE FROM ACETOBACTER XYLINUM

Benziman, Moshe (The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel), and Y. Galanter. Flavine adenine dinucleotide-linked malic dehydrogenase from Acetobacter xylinum. J. Bacteriol. 88:1010-1018. 1964.-The properties of the pyridine nucleotide-nonlinked malic dehydrogenase of Acetobacter xylinum were investigated in the supernatant fluid obtained by high-speed centrifugation of sonic extracts. Ferricyanide, phenazine methosulfate, and to a lesser extent dichlorophenolindophenol were active as oxidants for malate oxidation. After acid ammonium sulfate precipitation, the enzyme lost its malate-oxidizing activity. The enzyme was reactivated by low concentrations of flavine adenine dinucleotide (FAD) but not by flavine mononucleotide (FMN) or riboflavine. Atabrine inhibited the enzyme, and the inhibition was relieved by FAD but not by FMN or riboflavine. Malate-oxidizing activity was inhibited by hematin. The inhibition was prevented by imidazole or globin. o-Phenanthroline, 8-hydroxy quinoline, alpha,alpha'-dipyridyl, and p-chloromercuribenzoate inhibited malate oxidation. Amytal markedly inhibited oxidation of malate in the presence of oxygen, phenazine methosulfate, or dichlorophenolindophenol, but not in the presence of ferricyanide. The results suggest that the malic dehydrogenase of A. xylinum is a FAD enzyme, which contains an ironbinding site essential for its activity. Nonheme iron and sulfhydro groups are possibly involved in enzyme activity. The malic dehydrogenase is functionally linked to the cytochrome chain.

Fumarate reductase activity of Streptococcus faecalis

Some characteristics of a fumarate reductase from Streptococcus faecalis are described. The enzyme had a pH optimum of 7.4; optimal activity was observed when the ionic strength of the phosphate buffer was adjusted to 0.088. The K(m) value of the enzyme for reduced flavin mononucleotide was 2 x 10(-4)m as determined with a 26-fold preparation. In addition to fumarate, the enzyme reduced maleate and mesaconate. No succinate dehydrogenase activity was detected, but succinate did act as an inhibitor of the fumarate reductase activity. Other inhibitors were malonate, citraconate, and trans-, trans-muconate. Metal-chelating agents did not inhibit the enzyme. A limited inhibition by sulfhydryl-binding agents was observed, and the preparations were sensitive to air oxidation and storage. Glycine, alanine, histidine, and possibly lysine stimulated fumarate reductase activity in the cell-free extracts. However, growth in media supplemented with glycine did not enhance fumarate reductase activity. The enzymatic activity appears to be constitutive.

Electron transport in a Park-Williams strain of Corynebacterium diphtheriae

1. The electron-transport mechanism was examined in the ;particulate' and ;supernatant' fractions of disintegrated cells of a Park-Williams strain of Corynebacterium diphtheriae. 2. Succinate-oxidase activity was found mainly in the ;particulate' fraction, and NADH(2) oxidase mainly in the ;supernatant', which was devoid of cytochromes and menaquinone. 3. The sum of the activities of particles and supernatant fractions, with respect to both succinate oxidase and NADH(2) oxidase, was substantially less than that of the crude cell extract from which they were obtained. Full activity was restored on recombining ;particles' and ;supernatant'. The characteristics of this reassembled system were investigated. 4. The strain of organism (CN2000) examined contained cytochromes corresponding spectroscopically to ;a', ;b' and ;c' types. All three were reduced by succinate, lactate or NADH(2); but a portion of the cytochrome b, susceptible to reduction by dithionite, could not be reduced by the substrates. 5. Triton X-100 inhibits oxidation of succinate by particulate fraction; on adding succinate, the reduction of cytochrome b is not affected but that of cytochromes a and c is delayed. 6. Irradiation at 360mmu completely destroys menaquinone in the particle fraction. Succinate oxidation is severely decreased; succinate dehydrogenase and NADH(2) oxidation are little affected. Certain menaquinones will restore succinate oxidation in the irradiated material. 7. On adding succinate to irradiated particulate material cytochrome b is partially reduced at once, but reduction of cytochromes a and c is much delayed. A portion of the cytochrome b remains not reduced, but reduction occurs rapidly on the addition of menaquinone (MK-2).