Identification of the gene encoding NADH-rubredoxin oxidoreductase in Clostridium acetobutylicum

NADH-rubredoxin oxidoreductase (NROR), a flavoprotein from the obligately anaerobe Clostridium acetobutylicum is encoded by an ORF (nror) of 1140 nucleotides. Whereas primary structure analysis reveals that NROR has amino acid sequence patterns homologous with those involved in FAD and NAD-binding, the enzyme is distantly related to other flavoproteins in the databank. NROR is highly active for reducing clostridial rubredoxin (Rd) especially against C. acetobutylicum ltd with an efficiency (k(cat)/K-m) of 400,000 mM(-1)s(-1). These results suggest that Rd from C. acetobutylicum, C. pasteurianum, C. butyricum, and C. cellulolyticum can be interchanged with each other. Since C. acetobutylicum is the sole Clostridium strain that possesses such an enzyme, possible functions are discussed with regard to Desulfovibrio gigas and Pyrococcus furiosus, the only two other anaerobic systems for which a similar activity was reported,but no gene isolated. (C) 2001 Academic Press.