The stereospecificity of nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide-dependent oxidoreductases from plants

Electron flow between the worlds of Marcus and Warburg

Living organisms are characterized by the ability to process energy (all release heat). Redox reactions play a central role in biology, from energy transduction (photosynthesis, respiratory chains) to highly selective catalyzed transformations of complex molecules. Distance and scale are important: electrons transfer on a 1 nm scale, hydrogen nuclei transfer between molecules on a 0.1 nm scale, and extended catalytic processes (cascades) operate most efficiently when the different enzymes are under nanoconfinement (10 nm-100 nm scale). Dynamic electrochemistry experiments (defined broadly within the term "protein film electrochemistry," PFE) reveal details that are usually hidden in conventional kinetic experiments. In PFE, the enzyme is attached to an electrode, often in an innovative way, and electron-transfer reactions, individual or within steady-state catalytic flow, can be analyzed in terms of precise potentials, proton coupling, cooperativity, driving-force dependence of rates, and reversibility (a mark of efficiency). The electrochemical experiments reveal subtle factors that would have played an essential role in molecular evolution. This article describes how PFE is used to visualize and analyze different aspects of biological redox chemistry, from long-range directional electron transfer to electron/hydride (NADPH) interconversion by a flavoenzyme and finally to NADPH recycling in a nanoconfined enzyme cascade.

Molecular characterization of quinate and shikimate metabolism in Populus trichocarpa

The shikimate pathway leads to the biosynthesis of aromatic amino acids essential for protein biosynthesis and the production of a wide array of plant secondary metabolites. Among them, quinate is an astringent feeding deterrent that can be formed in a single step reaction from 3-dehydroquinate catalyzed by quinate dehydrogenase (QDH). 3-Dehydroquinate is also the substrate for shikimate biosynthesis through the sequential actions of dehydroquinate dehydratase (DQD) and shikimate dehydrogenase (SDH) contained in a single protein in plants. The reaction mechanism of QDH resembles that of SDH. The poplar genome encodes five DQD/SDH-like genes (Poptr1 to Poptr5), which have diverged into two distinct groups based on sequence analysis and protein structure prediction. In vitro biochemical assays proved that Poptr1 and -5 are true DQD/SDHs, whereas Poptr2 and -3 instead have QDH activity with only residual DQD/SDH activity. Poplar DQD/SDHs have distinct expression profiles suggesting separate roles in protein and lignin biosynthesis. Also, the QDH genes are differentially expressed. In summary, quinate (secondary metabolism) and shikimate (primary metabolism) metabolic activities are encoded by distinct members of the same gene family, each having different physiological functions.

DSD--an integrated, web-accessible database of Dehydrogenase Enzyme Stereospecificities

BACKGROUND

Dehydrogenase enzymes belong to the oxidoreductase class and utilise the coenzymes NAD and NADP. Stereo-selectivity is focused on the C4 hydrogen atoms of the nicotinamide ring of NAD(P). Depending upon which hydrogen is transferred at the C4 location, the enzyme is designated as A or B stereospecific.

DESCRIPTION

The Dehydrogenase Stereospecificity Database v1.0 (DSD) provides a compilation of enzyme stereochemical data, as sourced from the primary literature, in the form of a web-accessible database. There are two search engines, a menu driven search and a BLAST search. The entries are also linked to several external databases, including the NCBI and the Protein Data Bank, providing wide background information. The database is freely available online at: http://www.jenner.ac.uk/DSD/.

CONCLUSION

DSD is a unique compilation available on-line for the first time which provides a key resource for the comparative analysis of reductase hydrogen transfer stereospecificity. As databases increasingly form the backbone of science, largely complete databases such as DSD, are a vital addition.

Mechanism of Salmonella typhimurium histidinol dehydrogenase: kinetic isotope effects and pH profiles

L-Histidinol dehydrogenase catalyzes the biosynthetic oxidation of L-histidinol to L-histidine with sequential reduction of two molecules of NAD. Previous isotope exchange results had suggested that the oxidation of histidinol to the intermediate histidinaldehyde occurred 2-3-fold more rapidly than overall catalysis. In this work, we present kinetic isotope effects (KIE) studies at pH 9.0 and at pH 6.7 with stereospecifically mono- and dideuterated histidinols. The data at pH 9.0 support minimal participation of the first hydride transfer and substantial participation of the second hydride transfer in the overall rate limitation. Stopped-flow experiments with protiated histidinol revealed a small burst of NADH production with stoichiometry of 0.12 per subunit, and 0.25 per subunit with dideuterated histidinol, indicating that the overall first half-reaction was not significantly faster than the second reaction sequence. Results from kcat and kcat/KM titrations with histidinol, NAD, and the alternative substrate imidazolyl propanediol demonstrated an essential base with pKa values between 7.7 and 8.4. In KIE experiments performed at pH 6.7 or with a coenzyme analogue at pH 9. 0, the first hydride transfer became more rate limiting. Kinetic simulations based on rate constants estimated from this work fit well with a mechanism that includes a relatively fast, and thermodynamically unfavorable, hydride transfer from histidinol and a slower, irreversible second hydride transfer from a histidinaldehyde derivative. Thus, although the chemistry of the first hydride transfer is fast, both partial reactions participate in the overall rate limitation.

Salmonella typhimurium histidinol dehydrogenase: complete reaction stereochemistry and active site mapping

The stereochemistry of the L-histidinol dehydrogenase reaction was determined to be R at NAD for both steps, confirming previous results with a fungal extract [Davies, D., Teixeira, A., & Kenworthy, P. (1972) Biochem. J. 127, 335-343]. NMR analysis of monodeuteriohistidinols produced by histidinol/NADH exchange reactions arising via reversal of the alcohol oxidation reaction indicated a single stereochemistry at histidinol for that step. Comparison of vicinal coupling values of the exchange products with those of L-alaninol and a series of (S)-2-amino-1-alcohols allowed identification of the absolute stereochemistry of monodeuteriohistidinols and showed that histidinol dehydrogenase removes first the pro-S then the pro-R hydrogens of substrate histidinol. The enzyme stereochemistry was confirmed by isotope effects for monodeuteriohistidinols as substrates for the pro-R-specific dehydrogenation catalyzed by liver alcohol dehydrogenase. Active site mapping was undertaken to investigate substrate-protein interactions elsewhere in the histidinol binding site. Critical binding regions are the side-chain amino group and the imidazole ring, whose methylation at the 1- or 2-position caused severe decreases in binding affinity. Use of alternative substrates further clarified active site interactions with the substrate. Compounds in which the alpha-amino group was replaced by chloro, bromo, or hydrogen substituents were not substrates of the overall reaction at 1/10,000 the normal rate.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Stereospecificity of C4 nicotinamide hydrogen transfer of the NADP-dependent glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase

The stereospecificity of the reaction catalysed by the spinach chloroplast enzyme NADP-dependent glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (D-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate: NADP+ oxidoreductase (phosphorylating), EC 1.2.1.13) with respect to the C4 nicotinamide hydrogen transfer was investigated. NADPH deuterated at the C4 HA position was synthesized using aldehyde dehydrogenase. 1H-NMR spectroscopy was used to examine the NADP+ product of the GPDH reaction for the presence or absence of the C4 deuterium atom. Chloroplast NADP-dependent glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase retains the deuterium at the C4 HA position (removing the hydrogen atom), and is therefore a B (pro-S) specific dehydrogenase.

A cysteine residue (cysteine-116) in the histidinol binding site of histidinol dehydrogenase

Salmonella typhimurium L-histidinol dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.23), a four-electron dehydrogenase, was inactivated by an active-site-directed modification reagent, 7-chloro-4-nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole (NBD-Cl). The inactivation followed pseudo-first-order kinetics and was prevented by low concentrations of the substrate L-histidinol or by the competitive inhibitors histamine and imidazole. The observed rate saturation kinetics for inactivation suggest that NBD-Cl binds to the enzyme noncovalently before covalent inactivation occurs. The UV spectrum of the inactivated enzyme showed a peak at 420 nm, indicative of sulfhydryl modification. Stoichiometry experiments indicated that full inactivation was correlated with modification of 1.5 sulfhydryl groups per subunit of enzyme. By use of a substrate protection scheme, it was shown that 0.5 sulfhydryl per enzyme subunit was neither protected against NBD-Cl modification by L-histidinol nor essential for activity. Modification of the additional 1.0 sulfhydryl caused complete loss of enzyme activity and was prevented by L-histidinol. Pepsin digestion of NBD-modified enzyme was used to prepare labeled peptides under conditions that prevented migration of the NBD group. HPLC purification of the peptides was monitored at 420 nm, which is highly selective for NBD-labeled cysteine residues. By amino acid sequencing of the major peptides, it was shown that the reagent modified primarily Cys-116 and Cys-377 and that the presence of L-histidinol gave significant protection of Cys-116. The presence of a cysteine residue in the histidinol binding site is consistent with models in which formation and subsequent oxidation of a thiohemiacetal occurs as an intermediate step in the overall reaction.

Stereospecificity for nicotinamide nucleotides in enzymatic and chemical hydride transfer reactions

The pyridine nucleotide (NAD and NADP)-linked enzymes are a large class of enzymes constituting approximately 17% of all classified enzymes. When these enzymes catalyze their reactions, the hydride transfer between the substrate and the reaction site (i.e., C-4 of the nicotinamide/dihydronicotinamide ring) of the coenzyme takes place in a stereospecific manner. Thus, in the reaction of oxidation of the reduced coenzyme, one group of enzymes catalyzes the extraction of only the hydrogen having the R configuration at the No. 4 carbon, while the other group catalyzes the removal of only that with the S configuration. Because this aspect of enzyme stereospecificity provides essential information for a given enzyme's reaction mechanism, active site structure, and evolutionary relationship with other enzymes, intensive effort has been made to establish the stereospecificities of as many enzymes as possible. This review presents the compilation of the stereospecificities of these enzymes. Some empirical rules, which are useful but not definitive, in predicting a given enzyme's stereospecificity are also described. In addition, the stereospecificity in enzymatic reactions is compared to the stereo-preference in chemical oxidoreduction of the coenzyme. In order to elucidate the mechanism for the enzyme stereospecificity, the conformations of the coenzyme in free-state and enzyme-bound state are extensively discussed here.

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. A transferred nuclear Overhauser enhancement study of NADP+ conformations in enzyme-coenzyme binary complexes

The conformation of NADP+ in glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase--NADP+ binary complexes has been investigated using proton-proton transferred nuclear Overhauser enhancement measurements to determine interproton distance ratios between bound NADP+ protons. The enzymes from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (brewer's yeast and baker's yeast) and Hansenula jadinii (Candida utilis, Torula utilis) form binary complexes with NADP+ in which the glycosidic bond of the adenine moiety is in the anti conformation whereas that of the nicotinamide moiety exists as a syn (69-70%)/anti (30-40%) mixture. The enzymes have similar subunit sizes (Mr approximately 58 000) and it is shown that they bind NADP+ in essentially similar conformations. Inactivation of the baker's yeast enzyme with acetylsalicylic acid caused little if any alteration in the conformation of bound NADP+, and the presence of NADP+ during inactivation afforded very little protection to the enzyme. Inactivation rates were, however, lower in the presence of glucose 6-phosphate. It is concluded that the epsilon-amino group of the lysine residue that is acetylated during the inactivation reaction with acetylsalicylic acid is not necessary for binary complex formation between the enzyme and NADP+, but that it is situated in a part of the molecule affected by formation of the enzyme--glucose-6-phosphate complex. The implication of the findings for the catalytic process, and related evolutionary aspects, are discussed briefly.

Synthesis of oxalic Acid by enzymes from lettuce leaves

A rapid purification of lactate dehydrogenase and glycolate oxidase from lettuce (Lactuca sativa) leaves is described. The kinetics of both enzymes are reported in relation to their possible roles in the production of oxalate. Lettuce lactate dehydrogenase behaves like mammalian dehydrogenase, catalyzing the dismutation of glyoxylate to glycolate and oxalate. A model is proposed in which glycolate oxidase in the peroxisomes and lactate dehydrogenase in the cytosol are involved in the production of oxalate. The effect of pH on the balance between oxalate and glycolate produced from glyoxylate suggests that in leaves lactate dehydrogenase may function as part of an oxalate-based biochemical, pH-stat.

The stereospecificity of the reduction of nitrate by reduced nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotides catalysed by Candida utilis preparations

The reduction of nitrate by reduced nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotides, catalysed by extract of Candida utilis, exhibits an apparent high degree of stereospecificity for the 'B' methylene hydrogen atom of NADPH and mixed stereospecificity for the methylene hydrogen atoms of NADH. Purified nitrate reductase, on the other hand, exhibits 'A' stereospecificity for NADH and NADPH. The apparent switch of stereospecificity from the 'B' to the 'A' side of NADPH, which occurs after purification of the enzyme, is partly explained by the fact that in crude extracts nitrate is reduced completely to ammonia. Nitrite does not accumulate but is reduced to ammonia by nitrite dehydrogenase, which is 'B'-specific, so that up to 75% of hydrogen removed from NADPH during the reduction of nitrate could occur from the 'B' side. A further increase in the removal of hydrogen from the 'B' side of NADPH could be the kinetic isotope effect that is observed when ['A'-3H]NADPH is the reductant, the H--C bond being cleaved 2.3 times faster than the 3H--C bond. The mixed stereospecificity observed with NADH has been traced to an uncharacterized enzyme that catalyses a 'B'-specific exchange between NAD+ and NADH. This reaction is discussed in relation to the possibility that it may explain other cases of apparent mixed stereospecificity that have been reported.

The specificity of dehydrogenases

The specificity of dehydrogenases for coenzyme (and coenzyme analogues), and substrate (and substrate analogues) is discussed in relation to structure, function, and evolution. Examples concern compounds that have very different structures, reactions that play widely differing roles in the life of the organism, and organisms of greatly differing types. The examples illustrate general points of interest and importance.

Purification and properties of alanine dehydrogenase from Bacillus sphaericus

1. The bacterial distribution of alanine dehydrogenase (L-alanine:NAD+ oxidoreductase, deaminating, EC 1.4.1.1) was investigated, and high activity was found in Bacillus species. The enzyme has been purified to homogeneity and crystallized from B. sphaericus (IFO 3525), in which the highest activity occurs. 2. The enzyme has a molecular weight of about 230 000, and is composed of six identical subunits (Mr 38 000). 3. The enzyme acts almost specifically on L-alanine, but shows low amino-acceptor specificity; pyruvate and 2-oxobutyrate are the most preferable substrates, and 2-oxovalerate is also animated. The enzyme requires NAD+ as a cofactor, which cannot be replaced by NADP+. 4. The enzyme is stable over a wide pH range (pH 6.0--10.0), and shows maximum reactivity at approximately pH 10.5 and 9.0 for the deamination and amination reactions, respectively. 5. Alanine dehydrogenase is inhibited significantly by HgCl2, p-chloromercuribenzoate and other metals, but none of purine and pyrimidine bases, nucleosides, nucleotides, flavine compounds and pyridoxal 5'-phosphate influence the activity. 6. The reductive amination proceeds through a sequential ordered ternary-binary mechanism. NADH binds first to the enzyme followed by ammonia and pyruvate, and the products are released in the order of L-ALANINE AND NAD+. The Michaelis constants are as follows: NADH (10 microM), ammonia (28.2 mM), pyruvate (1.7 mM), L-alanine (18.9 mM) and NAD+ (0.23 mM). 7. The pro-R hydrogen at C-4 of the reduced nicotinamide ring of NADH is exclusively transferred to pyruvate; the enzyme is A-stereospecific.

Stereospecificity of hydrogen transfer in the saccharopine dehydrogenase reaction

The stereospecificity of hydrogen transfer in the synthesis of saccharopine from alpha-ketoglutarate and L-lysine catalyzed by saccharopine dehydrogenase (N5-(1,3-dicarboxypropyl)-L-lysine: NAD oxidoreductase (L-lysine-forming), EC 1.5.1.7) was examined by using [4A-3H]- and [4B-3H]NADH. The enzyme showed the A-stereospecificity. The NMR analysis of the saccharopine prepared with [4"A-2H]NADH revealed that the label was incorporated into the C-2 of the glutaryl moiety.

Enzymic synthesis of lignin precursors. Further studies on cinnamyl-alcohol dehydrogenase from soybean-cell-suspension cultures

Isoenzyme 2 of cinnamyl-alcohol dehydrogenase from soybean suspension cultures was purified about 3800-fold to apparent homogeneity by an improved purification procedure involving biospecific elution of the enzyme from a NADP+-agarose column. On sodium dodecylsulfate gels the dehydrogenase showed only one protein band with Mr 40 000 +/- 500. The enzyme is strongly inhibited by thiol reagents. Various metal chelators as well as the nonchelating 7,8-benzoquinoline also inhibited enzyme activity. Inhibition by 10 mM 1,10-phenanthroline could be partially reversed by addition of Zn2+. 1,10-Phenanthroline and 7,8-benzoquinoline are non-competitive inhibitors with respect to NADP+. The presence of zinc in the dehydrogenase was proved by atomic absorption spectroscopy and by specific incorporation of 65Zn into the enzyme. In steady-state kinetics inhibition patterns were obtained which are consistent with an ordered bi-bi mechanism in which NADP(H) is the first substrate to bind and the last product released. The cinnamyl-alcohol dehydrogenase belongs to the A-specific dehydrogenases and removes the pro-R hydrogen from coniferyl alcohol. The enzyme shows many similarities with alcohol dehydrogenases from horse and rat liver and from yeast.

The stereospecificity of nitrate reductase for hydrogen removal from reduced pyridine nucleotides

The stereospecificity of the hydrogen removal from reduced pyridine nucleotides catalyzed by nitrate reductase (NADH : nitrate oxidoreductase, EC 1.6.6.1, and NAD(P)H : nitrate oxidoreductase, EC 1.6.6.2) was investigated. A high degree of enzyme purification was required to obtain conclusive results. Improvements are described for the purification of nitrate reductase from Chlorella fusca and from spinach (Spinacea oleracea, L.) leaves. The latter enzyme is shown to contain a cytochrome. With highly purified nitrate reductase preparations from Cl. fusca, Neurospora crassa, Rhodotorula glutinis and spinach leaves the stereospecificity of the reaction was determined to be predominantly of the A-type in all cases.

Determination of the hydride transfer stereospecificity of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide linked oxidoreductases by proton magnetic resonance

A facile proton magnetic resonance technique is described for the determination of the coenzyme stereospecificity during hydride transfer reactions catalyzed by pyridine nucleotide dependent oxidoreductases. The reliability of this technique was demonstrated by examining the coenzyme stereospecificity of lactate, malate, and 3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenases, which are known to be A-stereospecific enzymes, as well as triosephosphate and octopine dehydrogenases, which are known to be B-stereospecific enzymes. Furthermore, by applying this technique, it was shown that the previously unstudied enzymes D-beta-hydroxybutyrate and 4-aminobutanal dehydrogenases are B- and A-stereospecific enzymes, respectively. In addition, the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide linked reaction of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase from Leuconostoc mesenteroides was found to be B stereospecific, like the reaction of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate linked yeast enzyme.

The specificity of the 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity of bovine ovaries toward dehydroepiandrosterone and pregnenolone: evidence for multiple enzymes

The 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity in whole bovine ovaries was systematically studied using dehydroepiandrosterone (3beta-hydroxy-5-androsten-17-one) and pregnenolone (3 beta-hydroxy-5-pregnen-20-one) as substrates, in order to determine whether, in this tissue, the same or different 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases metabolize these steroids. The majority of the activity, with both substrates was found in the microsomes. Detergent extraction of the microsomes indicated that more than one enzyme was present in this fraction. A number of experiments on the Triton X-100 extract of the microsomes (the stability of the activity, its nucleotide specificity and kinetic analyses) were most simply explained by a single enzyme metabolizing both steroids. However, the stereospecificity of hydride-ion transfer from pregnenolone to NAD+ (B transfer) was different than that from dehydroepiandrosterone to NAD+ (A and B transfer). Thus, as no single enzyme is known to catalyze the transfer of hydride-ion to both sides of NAD+, it is proposed that there are at least two 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases in the Triton X-100 extract.

D-glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (Entner-Doudoroff enzyme) from Pseudomonas fluorescens. Purification, properties and regulation

1. The existence of two different D-glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenases in Pseudomonas fluorescens has been demonstrated. Based on their different specificity and their different metabolic regulation one enzyme is appointed to the Entner-Doudoroff pathway and the other to the hexose monophosphate pathway. 2. A procedure is described for the isolation of that D-glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase which forms part of the Entner-Doudoroff pathway (Entner-Doudoroff enzyme). A 950-fold purification was achieved with an overall yield of 44%. The final preparation, having a specific activity of about 300 mumol NADH formed per min per mg protein, was shown to be homogeneous. 3. The molecular weight of the Entner-Doudoroff enzyme has been determined to be 220000 by gel permeation chromatography, and that of the other enzyme (Zwischenferment) has been shown to be 265000. 4. The pI of the Entner-Doudoroff enzyme has been shown to be 5.24 and that of the Zwischenferment 4.27. The Entner-Doudoroff enzyme is stable in the range of pH 6 to 10.5 and shows its maximal activity at pH 8.9. 5. The Entner-Doudoroff enzyme showed specificity for NAD+ as well as for NADP+ and exhibited homotropic effects for D-glucose 6-phosphate. It is inhibited by ATP which acts as a negative allosteric effector. Other nucleoside triphosphates as well as ADP are also inhibitory. 6. The enzyme catalyzes the transfer of the axial hydrogen at carbon-1 of beta-D-glucopyranose 6-phosphate to the si face of carbon-4 of the nicotinamide ring and must be classified as B-side stereospecific dehydrogenase.

The stereospecificity of sequential nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide-dependent oxidoreductases in relation to the evolution of metabolic sequences

The generalization that 'when a metabolic sequence involves consecutive nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide-dependent reactions, the dehydrogenases have the same stereospecificity' was tested and confirmed for three metabolic sequences. (1) NAD+-xylitol (D-xylulose) dehydrogenase and NADP+-xylitol (L-xylulose) dehydrogenase are both B-specific. (2) D-Mannitol 1-phosphate dehydrogenase and D-sorbitol 6-phosphate dehydrogenase are both B-specific. (3) meso Tartrate dehydrogenase and oxaloglycollate reductive decarboxylase are both A-specific. Other dehydrogenases associated with the metabolism of meso-tartrate in Pseudomonas putida, such as hydroxypyruvate reductase and tartronate semialdehyde reductase, were also shown to be A-specific. Malate dehydrogenase from Pseudomonas putida was A-specific, and the proposition is discussed that the common A-stereospecificity among the dehydrogenases involved in meso-tartrate metabolism reflects their origin from malate dehydrogenase.

Purification and properties of malate dehydrogenase from Pseudomonas testosteroni

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-linked malate dehydrogenase has been purified from Pseudomonas testosteroni (ATCC 11996). The purification represents over 450-fold increase in specific activity. The amino acid composition of the enzyme was determined and found to be quite different from the composition of the malate dehydrogenases from animal sources as well as from Escherichia coli. Despite this difference, however, the data show that the enzymatic properties of the purified enzyme are remarkably similar to those of other malate dehydrogenases that have been previously studied. The Pseudomonas enzyme has a molecular weight of 74,000 and consists of two subunits of identical size. In addition to L-malate, the enzyme slowly oxidizes other four-carbon dicarboylates having an alpha-hydroxyl group of S configuration such as meso- and (-) tartrate. Rate-determining steps, which differ from that of the reaction involving L-malate, are discussed for the reaction involving these alternative substrates. Oxidation of hydroxymalonate, a process previously undetected with other malate dehydrogenases, is demonstrated fluorometrically. Hydroxymalonate and D-malate strongly enhance the fluorescence of the reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide bound to the enzyme. The enzyme is A-stereospecific with respect to the coenzyme. Malate dehydrogenase is present in a single form in the Pseudomonas. The susceptibility of the enzyme to activation or inhibition by its substrates-particularly the favoring of the oxidation of malate at elevated concentrations-strongly resembles the properties of the mitochondrial enzymes. The present study reveals that whereas profound variations in chemical composition have occurred between the prokaryotic and eukaryotic enzymes, the physical and catalytic properties of malate dehydrogenase, unlike lactate dehydrogenase, are well conserved during the evolutionary process.

Structural and functional similarities between mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase and L-3-hydroxyacyl CoA dehydrogenase

Pig heart mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.37), which has been obtained free of electrophoretic subforms, has been shown to have a molecular weight of 67,000 and to be composed of two polypeptide chains. Comparison of these and other properties, such as amino-acid composition, isoelectric point, and keto-substrate inhibition, with those of (L)-3-hydroxyaeyl CoA dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.35), another NAD(+)-dependent dehydrogenase of mitochondrial origin, suggests structural similarities of the type associated with proteins possessing common evolutionary origins. This conclusion is supported by immunological crossreactivity. In view of these observations, the dissimilarity in the stereospecificity of hydrogen transfer from cofactor to substrate catalyzed by the two enzymes is attributed to 180 degrees rotation in the binding orientation of the nicotinamide moiety of the NAD(+), rather than to gross differences in the geometry of the active site of the two enzymes.