Comparative Enzymatic Analysis of Azoreductases from Bacillus sp B29

We cloned and expressed two genes encoding azoreductase homologes, AzrB and AzrC, from Bacillus sp. B29. Purified recombinant AzrB and AzrC were homodimers with 23kDa identical subunits, and were flavoproteins. NADH was preferred as electron donors for both azoreductases. The azoreductases showed optimal activities at 70 degrees C (AzrB) and 55 degrees C (AzrC), and retained activities up to 55 degrees C (AzrB) and 50 degrees C (AzrC) after incubation for 1 h. Other enzymatic properties, including the substrate specificities of both azoreductases, were also investigated.