Flavin specificity and subunit interaction of Vibrio fischeri general NAD(P)H-flavin oxidoreductase FRG/FRase I

Apoenzyme of the major NAD(P)H-utilizing flavin reductase FRG/FRase I from Vibrio fischeri was prepared. The apoenzyme bound one FMN cofactor per enzyme monomer to yield fully active holoenzyme. The FMN cofactor binding resulted in substantial quenching of both the flavin and the protein fluorescence intensities without any significant shifts in the mission peaks. In addition to FMN binding (K-d 0.5 muM at 23 degreesC), the apoenzyme also bound 2-thioFMN, FAD and riboflavin as a cofactor with K-d values of 1, 12, and 37 muM, respectively, at 23 degreesC. The 2-thioFMN containing holoenzyme was about 40% active in specific activity as compared to the FMN-containing holoenzyme. The FAD- and riboflavin-reconstituted holoenzymes were also catalytically active but their specific activities were not determined. FRG/FRase I followed a ping-pong kinetic mechanism. It is proposed that the enzyme-bound FMN cofactor shuttles between the oxidized and the reduced form during catalysis. For both the FMN- and 2-thioFMN-containing holoenzymes, 2-thioFMN was about 30% active as compared to FMN as a substrate. FAD and riboflavin were also active substrates. FRG/FRase I was shown by ultracentrifugation at 4 degreesC to undergo a monomer-dimer equilibrium, with K-d values of 18.0 and 13.4 muM for the apo- and holoenzymes, respectively. All the spectral, ligand equilibrium binding, and kinetic properties described above are most likely associated with the monomeric species of FRG/FRase 1. Many aspects of these properties are compared with a structurally and functionally, related Vibrio harveyi NADPH-specific flavin reductase FRP. (C) 2001 Academic Press.