Publications

• Unexpected genetic and structural relationships of a long-forgotten flavoenzyme to NAD(P)H:quinone reductase (DT-diaphorase).

  Zhao Q., Yang X.L., Holtzclaw W.D., Talalay P.

  A mammalian cytosolic FAD-dependent enzyme that catalyzes the reduction of quinones by N-ribosyl- and N-alkyldihydronicotinamides, but not by NADH, NADPH, or NMNH (reduced nicotinamide mononucleotide), was isolated from bovine kidney more than 30 years ago [S. Liao, J. T. Dulaney and H. G. William ... >> More

  A mammalian cytosolic FAD-dependent enzyme that catalyzes the reduction of quinones by N-ribosyl- and N-alkyldihydronicotinamides, but not by NADH, NADPH, or NMNH (reduced nicotinamide mononucleotide), was isolated from bovine kidney more than 30 years ago [S. Liao, J. T. Dulaney and H. G. Williams-Ashman (1962) J. Biol. Chem. 237, 2981-2987]. This enzyme is designated here as quinone reductase type 2 (QR2). Bovine QR2 is a homodimer that migrates on SDS/PAGE at approximately 22 kDa. Three tryptic peptides of bovine QR2 (representing 39 amino acids) showed 43% identity to human NAD(P)H:quinone reductase (DT-diaphorase; EC 1.6.99.2), here designated QR1 and 82% identity to a related human cDNA clone [called hNQO2 by A. K. Jaiswal, P. Burnett, M. Adesnik and O. W. McBride (1990) Biochemistry 29, 1899-1906], and designated here as hQR2. The protein encoded by the latter cDNA did not show QR activity when tested with conventional nicotinamide nucleotides. The unexpected high homology between the old flavoenzyme and hQR2 prompted us to clone and overexpress hQR2. The properties of hQR2 were identical to those of the flavoenzyme described by S. Liao and H. G. Williams-Ashman, thus establishing their genetic identity. Recombinant human QR2: (i) reacts with N-ribosyl- and N-alkyldihydronicotinamides, but not with NADH, NADPH, or NMNH; (ii) is very weakly inhibited by dicumarol or Cibacron blue; (iii) is very potently inhibited by benzo[a]pyrene. The x-ray crystal structure of rat QR1 shows that the 43 amino acid C-terminal tail of QR1 provides the binding site for the hydrophilic portions of NADH and NADPH. In the absence of this binding site in QR2, the enzyme retains the essential catalytic machinery, including affinity for FAD, but cannot bind phosphorylated hydride donors. << Less

  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 94:1669-1674(1997) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

• Purification and properties of a flavoprotein catalyzing the oxidation of reduced ribosyl nicotinamide.

  LIAO S., DULANEY J.T., WILLIAMS-ASHMAN H.G.

  J Biol Chem 237:2981-2987(1962) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

• Catalytic properties of NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase-2 (NQO2), a dihydronicotinamide riboside dependent oxidoreductase.

  Wu K., Knox R., Sun X.Z., Joseph P., Jaiswal A.K., Zhang D., Deng P.S.-K., Chen S.

  Human NAD(P)H:quinone acceptor oxidoreductase-2 (NQO2) has been prepared using an Escherichia coli expression method. NQO2 is thought to be an isoform of DT-diaphorase (EC 1.6.99.2) [also referred to as NAD(P)H:quinone acceptor oxidoreductase] because there is a 49% identity between their amino ac ... >> More

  Human NAD(P)H:quinone acceptor oxidoreductase-2 (NQO2) has been prepared using an Escherichia coli expression method. NQO2 is thought to be an isoform of DT-diaphorase (EC 1.6.99.2) [also referred to as NAD(P)H:quinone acceptor oxidoreductase] because there is a 49% identity between their amino acid sequences. The present investigation has revealed that like DT-diaphorase, NQO2 is a dimer enzyme with one FAD prosthetic group per subunit. Interestingly, NQO2 uses dihydronicotinamide riboside (NRH) rather than NAD(P)H as an electron donor. It catalyzes a two-electron reduction of quinones and oxidation-reduction dyes. One-electron acceptors, such as potassium ferricyanide, cannot be reduced by NQO2. This enzyme also catalyzes a four-electron reduction, using methyl red as the electron acceptor. The NRH-methyl red reductase activity of NQO2 is 11 times the NADH-methyl red reductase activity of DT-diaphorase. In addition, through a four-electron reduction reaction, NQO2 can catalyze nitroreduction of cytotoxic compound CB 1954 [5-(aziridin-1-yl)-2,4-dinitrobenzamide]. NQO2 is 3000 times more effective than DT-diaphorase in the reduction of CB 1954. Therefore, NQO2 is a NRH-dependent oxidoreductase which catalyzes two- and four-electron reduction reactions. NQO2 is resistant to typical inhibitors of DT-diaphorase, such as dicumarol, Cibacron blue, and phenindone. Flavones are inhibitors of NQO2. However, structural requirements of flavones for the inhibition of NQO2 are different from those for DT-diaphorase. The most potent flavone inhibitor tested so far is quercetin (3,5,7,3',4'-. 6pentahydroxyflavone). It has been found that quercetin is a competitive inhibitor with respect to NRH (Ki = 21 nM). NQO2 is 43 amino acids shorter than DT-diaphorase, and it has been suggested that the carboxyl terminus of DT-diaphorase plays a role in substrate binding (S. Chen et al., Protein Sci. 3, 51-57, 1994). In order to understand better the basis of catalytic differences between NQO2 and DT-diaphorase, a human NQO2 with 43 amino acids from the carboxyl terminus of human DT-diaphorase (i.e., hNQO2-hDT43) has been prepared. hNQO2-hDT43 still uses NRH as an electron donor. In addition, the chimeric enzyme is inhibited by quercetin but not dicumarol. These results suggest that additional region(s) in these enzymes is involved in differentiating NRH from NAD(P)H. << Less

  Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 347:221-228(1997) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]