Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 7, 2026
20:28
A Toolkit to Enable Hydrocarbon Conversion in Aqueous Environments
Published on: October 2, 2012
Aldehyde reductase from Crithidia fasciculata: purification and characterization
Journal of Biochemistry
|March 1, 1982
Summary
Crithidia fasciculata contains a NADPH-dependent aldehyde reductase enzyme that interconverts aldehydes and alcohols. This enzyme exhibits broad substrate specificity and may be classified as NADP+-dependent aryl-alcohol dehydrogenase.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Enzymology
- Protozoology
Background:
- Crithidia fasciculata is a protozoan that requires pterins.
- Pterin metabolism involves various enzymatic reactions, including reduction steps.
Purpose of the Study:
- To purify and characterize the NADPH-dependent dihydro-6-formylpterin reducing enzyme from Crithidia fasciculata.
- To understand the enzymatic properties and classification of this aldehyde reductase.
Main Methods:
- Enzyme purification using standard biochemical techniques.
- Enzyme characterization including optimal pH, substrate specificity, and inhibition studies.
- Molecular weight determination via gel filtration, sedimentation equilibrium, and SDS-PAGE.
Main Results:
- The enzyme is soluble, constitutive, and catalyzes aldehyde-alcohol interconversion.
- Optimal activity observed at pH 7.0 (reductase) and 9.0 (dehydrogenase).
- Broad substrate specificity demonstrated for various aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes; dimeric structure indicated.
Conclusions:
- The aldehyde reductase is inhibited by sulfhydryl reagents and heavy metals.
- The enzyme is classified as NADP+-dependent aryl-alcohol dehydrogenase [EC 1.1.1.91].
- This enzyme plays a role in pterin metabolism within Crithidia fasciculata.
Related Concept Videos
02:23Alcohols from Carbonyl Compounds: Reduction
Reduction is a simple strategy to convert a carbonyl group to a hydroxyl group. The three major pathways to reduce carbonyls to alcohols are catalytic hydrogenation, hydride reduction, and borane reduction.
Catalytic hydrogenation is similar to the reduction of an alkene or alkyne by adding H2 across the pi bond in the presence of transition metal catalysts like Raney Ni, Pd–C, Pt, or Ru. Aldehydes and ketones can be reduced by this method, often under mild to moderate heat (25–100°C) and...
Catalytic hydrogenation is similar to the reduction of an alkene or alkyne by adding H2 across the pi bond in the presence of transition metal catalysts like Raney Ni, Pd–C, Pt, or Ru. Aldehydes and ketones can be reduced by this method, often under mild to moderate heat (25–100°C) and...
01:24Preparation of Aldehydes and Ketones from Nitriles and Carboxylic Acids
Although it is possible to reduce a carboxylic acid to an aldehyde, strong reducing agents, like lithium aluminum hydride (LAH), prohibit a controlled reduction, instead causing the generated aldehyde to instantly over-reduce to a primary alcohol.
Reducing carboxylic acid derivatives like acyl chlorides (RCOCl), esters (RCO2R′), and nitriles (RCN) using milder aluminum hydride agents like lithium tri-tert-butoxyaluminum hydride [LiAlH(O-t-Bu)3] and diisobutylaluminum hydride [DIBAL-H] allows...
Reducing carboxylic acid derivatives like acyl chlorides (RCOCl), esters (RCO2R′), and nitriles (RCN) using milder aluminum hydride agents like lithium tri-tert-butoxyaluminum hydride [LiAlH(O-t-Bu)3] and diisobutylaluminum hydride [DIBAL-H] allows...
01:17Carboxylic Acids to Primary Alcohols: Hydride Reduction
Carboxylic acids, upon reaction with strong reducing agents such as lithium aluminum hydride followed by hydrolysis, undergo reduction to form primary alcohols.
01:18Preparation of Aldehydes and Ketones from Carboxylic Acid Derivatives
Aldehydes are more reactive than carboxylic acids and hence, can get over-reduced to alcohol in the presence of strong reducing agents. Therefore, carboxylic acids are inefficient in preparing aldehydes using LAH.
Carboxylic acid derivatives like acid chlorides and esters are more easily reducible than the corresponding acids. The derivatives reduce in the presence of mild reducing agents to give aldehydes. Aldehydes can also be prepared by Rosenmund reduction, that is, the reduction of acid...
Carboxylic acid derivatives like acid chlorides and esters are more easily reducible than the corresponding acids. The derivatives reduce in the presence of mild reducing agents to give aldehydes. Aldehydes can also be prepared by Rosenmund reduction, that is, the reduction of acid...