A Ca2+, Calmodulin-dependent NAD kinase from corn is located in the outer mitochondrial membrane.

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NAD kinase activity from dark grown corn coleoptiles is shown to be almost totally dependent on Ca2+ and calmodulin. Nearly all of the enzyme activity is found in a particulate fraction. Upon differential and density gradient centrifugation the NAD kinase activity co-migrates with the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase whereas marker activities for nuclei, etioplasts, endoplasmic reticulum, and microbodies could well be separated, indicating that the NAD kinase is associated with mitochondria. This NAD kinase, associated with intact mitochondria, can be activated by exogenously added Ca2+ and calmodulin. In order to investigate the submitochondrial localization of the NAD kinase, the organelles were ruptured by osmotic treatment and sonication and the submitochondrial fractions were separated by density gradient centrifugation. The NAD kinase activity exhibits the same density pattern as the antimycin A-insensitive NADH-dependent cytochrome c reductase, a marker enzyme of the outer mitochondrial membrane. Marker enzymes for the mitochondrial matrix and the inner mitochondrial membrane reveal different density profiles. These results indicate that the Ca2+, calmodulin-dependent NAD kinase from coleoptiles of dark grown corn seedlings is located at the outer mitochondrial membrane. The physiological relevance of the location and the Ca2+, calmodulin-dependence of the NAD kinase will be discussed.