The pncB gene of Salmonella typhimurium was used to develop an overexpression system for nicotinate phosphoribosyltransferase (NAPRTase, EC 2.4.2.11), which forms nicotinate mononucleotide (NAMN) and PPi from nicotinate and alpha-D-5-phosphoribosyl-1-pyrophosphate (PRPP). NAPRTase hydrolyzes ATP in 1:1 molar stoichiometry to NAMN synthesis. Hydrolysis of ATP alters the ratio of products/substrates for the reaction nicotinate + PRPP <--> NAMN + PPi from its equilibrium value of 0.67 to a steady-state value of 1100. The energy for the maintenance of this ratio must come from ATP hydrolysis. However, in contrast to other ATP-utilizing enzymes, when all ATP is hydrolyzed the unfavorable product/substrate ratio collapses. ATP/ADP exchange results suggest that the overall reaction involves a phosphoenzyme (E-P) arising from E.ATP. Km values for nicotinate and PRPP each decreased by 200-fold when ATP was present to phosphorylate the enzyme. PPi stimulated the ATPase activity of the enzyme to Vmax values, suggesting that PPi formation during catalysis provides a trigger for cleavage of the putative E-P in the overall reaction and regenerates the low affinity form of the enzyme. A model is presented in which alternation of high and low affinity forms of NAPRTase provides a "steady-state" coupling between ATP hydrolysis and NAMN formation.