Nitrate reductase from Chlorella vulgaris. Reaction with manganese (III) pyrophosphate and with ferric o-phenanthroline.

Millimolar concentrations of tervalent manganese pyrophosphate can partially activate nitrate reductase which has been inactivated with NADH and HCN. The tervalent manganese complex is nevertheless not reduced by NADH in the presence of the enzyme, that is, it is not a substrate for the diaphorase moiety of the nitrate reductase. Ferric o-phenanthroline, on the other hand, is a good diaphorase substrate, but fails to activate the inactive enzyme.