Malate dehydrogenase in phototrophic purple bacteria: purification, molecular weight, and quaternary structure

The citric acid cycle enzyme malate dehydrogenase was purified to homogeneity from the nonsulfur purple bacteria Rhodobacter capsulatus, Rhodospirillum rubrum, Rhodomicrobium vannielii, and Rhodocyclus purpureus. Malate dehydrogenase was purified from each species by either a single- or a two-step protocol: triazine dye affinity chromatography was the key step in purification of malate dehydrogenase in all cases. Purification of malate dehydrogenase resulted in a 130- to 240-fold increase in malate dehydrogenase specific activity, depending on the species, with recoveries ranging from 30 to 70%. Homogeneity of malate dehydrogenase preparations from the four organisms was determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate and nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; a single protein band was observed in purified preparations by both techniques. The molecular weight of native malate dehydrogenases was determined by four independent methods and estimated to be in the range of 130,000 to 140,000 for the enzyme from R. capsulatus, R. rubrum, and R. vannielii and 57,000 for that from R. purpureus. It is concluded that malate dehydrogenase from R. capsulatus, R. rubrum, and R. vannielii is a tetramer composed of four identical subunits, while the enzyme from R. purpureus is a dimer composed of two identical subunits.