The homodimeric NADH:flavin oxidoreductase from
Aminobacter aminovorans is an NADH-specific flavin reductase herein designated FRD
Aa. FRD
Aa was characterized with respect to purificationyields, thermal stability, isoelectric point, molar absorption coefficient, and effects of phosphate bufferstrength and pH on activity. Evidence from this work favors the classification of FRD
Aa as a flavin cofactor-utilizing class I flavin reductase. The isolated native FRD
Aa contained about 0.5 bound riboflavin-5'-phosphate (FMN) per enzyme monomer, but one bound flavin cofactor per monomer was obtainable inthe presence of excess FMN or riboflavin. In addition, FRD
Aa holoenzyme also utilized FMN, riboflavin,or FAD as a substrate. Steady-state kinetic results of substrate titrations, dead-end inhibition by AMP andlumichrome, and product inhibition by NAD
+ indicated an ordered sequential mechanism with NADH asthe first binding substrate and reduced FMN as the first leaving product. This is contrary to the ping-pongmechanism shown by other class I flavin reductases. The FMN bound to the native FRD
Aa can be fullyreduced by NADH and subsequently reoxidized by oxygen. No NADH binding was detected using 90
M FRD
Aa apoenzyme and 300
M NADH. All results favor the interpretation that the bound FMN wasa cofactor rather than a substrate. It is highly unusual that a flavin reductase using a sequential mechanismwould require a flavin cofactor to facilitate redox exchange between NADH and a flavin substrate. FRD
Aaexhibited a monomer-dimer equilibrium with a
Kd of 2.7
M. Similarities and differences between FRD
Aaand certain flavin reductases are discussed.