Purification and Properties of Quinone Reductase

Quinone reductase was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity from bovine liver by using ammonium sulfate fractionation, ion-exchange chromatography, and gel filtration chromatography. The enzyme utilized either NADH or NADPH as the electron donor. The optimum pH of the enzyme was pH 8.5, and the activity of the enzyme was greatly inhibited by $Cu^{2+}$ and $Hg^{2+}$ ions, dicumarol and cibacron blue 3GA. The enzyme catalyzed the reduction of several quinones and other artificial electron acceptors. Furthermore, the enzyme catalyzed NAD(P)H-dependent reduction of azobenzene or 4-nitroso-N,N-dimethylaniline. The apparent $K_m$ for 1,4-benzoquinone, azobenzene, and 4-nitroso-N,N-dimethylaniline was 1.64mM, 0.524mM and 0.225mM, respectively. The reduction of azobenzene or 4-nitroso-N,N-dimethylaniline by quinone reductase was strongly inhibited by dicumarol or cibacron blue 3GA, potent inhibitors of quinone reductase.