Journal of Bacteriology 2001-03-01

Catalytic and molecular properties of the quinohemoprotein tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol dehydrogenase from Ralstonia eutropha strain Bo.

G Zarnt, T Schräder, J R Andreesen

Index: J. Bacteriol. 183(6) , 1954-60, (2001)

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Abstract

The quinohemoprotein tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol dehydrogenase (THFA-DH) from Ralstonia eutropha strain Bo was investigated for its catalytic properties. The apparent k(cat)/K(m) and K(i) values for several substrates were determined using ferricyanide as an artificial electron acceptor. The highest catalytic efficiency was obtained with n-pentanol exhibiting a k(cat)/K(m) value of 788 x 10(4) M(-1) s(-1). The enzyme showed substrate inhibition kinetics for most of the alcohols and aldehydes investigated. A stereoselective oxidation of chiral alcohols with a varying enantiomeric preference was observed. Initial rate studies using ethanol and acetaldehyde as substrates revealed that a ping-pong mechanism can be assumed for in vitro catalysis of THFA-DH. The gene encoding THFA-DH from R. eutropha strain Bo (tfaA) has been cloned and sequenced. The derived amino acid sequence showed an identity of up to 67% to the sequence of various quinoprotein and quinohemoprotein dehydrogenases. A comparison of the deduced sequence with the N-terminal amino acid sequence previously determined by Edman degradation analysis suggested the presence of a signal sequence of 27 residues. The primary structure of TfaA indicated that the protein has a tertiary structure quite similar to those of other quinoprotein dehydrogenases.