Purification and Identification of a Plasma Membrane Associated Electron Transport Protein from Maize (Zea mays L.) Roots

Plasma membranes isolated from three-day-old maize (Zea mays L.) roots by aqueous two-phase partitioning were used as starting material for the purification of a novel electron transport enzyme. The detergent-solubilized enzyme was purified by dyeligand affinity chromatography on Cibacron blue 3G-A-agarose. Elution was achieved with a gradient of 0 to 30 micromolar NADH. The purified protein fraction exhibited a single 27 kilodalton silver nitrate-stained band on sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoretograms. Staining intensity correlated with the enzyme activity profile when analyzed in affinity chromatography column fractions. The enzyme was capable of accepting electrons from NADPH or NADH to reduce either ferricyanide, juglone, duroquinone, or cytochrome c, but did not transfer electrons to ascorbate free-radical or nitrate. The high degree of purity of plasma membranes used as starting material as well as the demonstrated insensitivity to mitochondrial electron transport inhibitors confirmed the plasma membrane origin of this enzyme. The purified reductase was stimulated upon prolonged incubation with flavin mononucleotide suggesting that the enzyme may be a flavoprotein. Established effectors of plasma membrane electron transport systems had little effect on the purified enzyme, with the exception of the sulfhydryl inhibitor p-chloromercuriphenyl-sulfonate, which was a strong inhibitor of ferricyanide reducing activity.