Purification and characterization of the recombinant Na+-translocating NADH: quinone oxidoreductase from Vibrio cholerae

The nqr operon from Vibrio cholerae, encoding the entire six-subunit, membrane-associated, Na+-translocating NADH:quinone oxidoreductase (Na+-NQR), was cloned under the regulation of the PBAD promoter. The enzyme was successfully expressed in V. cholerae. To facilitate molecular genetics studies of this sodium-pumping enzyme, a host strain of V. cholerae was constructed in which the genomic copy of the nqr operon was deleted. By using a vector containing a six-histidine tag on the carboxy terminus of the NqrF subunit, the last subunit in the operon, the recombinant enzyme was readily purified by affinity chromatography in a highly active form from detergent-solubilized membranes of V. cholerae. The recombinant enzyme has a high specific activity in the presence of sodium. NADH consumption was assessed at a turnover number of 720 electrons per second. When purified using dodecyl maltoside (DM), the isolated enzyme contains approximately one bound ubiquinone, whereas if the detergent LDAO is used instead, t...