A new flavin enzyme catalyzing the reduction of dihydrodipicolinate in sporulating Bacillus subtilis I. Purification and properties.

A dihydrodipicolinate reductase containing flavin was purified from sporulating Bacillus subtilis PCI 219. The purified enzyme appeared homogeneous by dise gel electrophoresis. Its molecular weight was estimated as 74,000 by gel filtration on Sephadex G-200, and as 18,500 by electrophoresis on sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamid gel. These results suggest that the enzyme is composed of four subunits. The prosthetic group was identified as FMN, and one mole of the enzyme contained two moles of FMN. Both NADPH and NADH acted as coenzyme, though NADH was less effective. The enzyme also exhibited diaphorase activity. The pH optimum was 6.1. The enzyme was inhibited by dipicolinate but not by lysine or alpha, epsilon-diaminopimelate.