Ferredoxin-NADP+reductase from the thermophilic hydrogen-oxidizing bacterium,Hydrogenobacter thermophilus TK-6

Abstract

The thermophilic, obligately chemolithoautotrophic hydrogen-oxidizing bacterium, Hydrogenobacter thermophilus TK-6, assimilates carbon dioxide via the reductive tricarboxylic acid cycle. Small iron-sulfur proteins, ferredoxins, play a central role as low-potential electron donors for this cycle. The fpr gene of this bacterium, encoding a putative ferredoxin-NADP(+) reductase (FNR, EC 1.18.1.2), was expressed in Escherichia coli, and the recombinant protein was purified to homogeneity. Unexpectedly, the monomeric Fpr protein contained one molecule of FMN as a prosthetic group, although FNRs from other organisms are known to contain FAD. The FMN-containing Fpr was shown to be a bona fide FNR that catalyzes a reversible redox reaction between NADP(+)/NADPH and ferredoxins.