[Functional groups involved in the nitrate reductase activity of milk xanthine oxidase].

Milk xanthine oxidase possesses the nitrate reductase activity at pH 5.2; the pH optimum of the xanthine oxidase activity for the enzyme lies at 9.6. After removal of FAD and binding of Mo and Fe with a simultaneous measurement at the pH optima of the above activities it was found that only the Mo-containing site is necessary for the nitrate reductase activity. The switch-over of the enzyme from the xanthine oxidase to the nitrate reductase activity is associated with considerable conformational changes of the enzyme molecule.