Purification and properties of L-alanine dehydrogenase from Desulfovibrio desulfuricans

The l-alanine dehydrogenase from cell-free extracts of Desulfovibrio desulfuricans was purified approximately 56-fold. The Michaelis constants for the substrates of the amination reaction and the pH optima for the reactions catalyzed by this enzyme closely agree with those reported for other l-alanine dehydrogenases. Pyruvate was found to inhibit the amination reaction. The enzyme was absolutely specific for l-alanine and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. Its sensitivity to para-chloromecuribenzoate suggests that sulfhydryl groups may be necessary for enzymatic activity. These extracts also contained a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-specific glutamic dehydrogenase which was separated from the l-alanine dehydrogenase during purification.