Effects of alcohols on the reactivity and stability of Azotobacter vinelandii hydrogenase.

The effects of alcohols on the reactivity of Azotobacter vinelandii hydrogenase were investigated. Hydrogenase catalyzed H2 oxidation coupled to methylene blue, benzyl viologen, or phenazine methosulfate when in the presence of solvents containing 15 or 40% ethanol or 40% methanol or 2-propanol. In general, the Km's for the electron acceptors were increased substantially by the presence of the alcohols, while the Km for H2 was not altered in a solvent containing 40% ethanol. Calculation of the apparent maximum velocities for H2 oxidation in the presence of alcohols indicated that the maximum velocity was not decreased in most cases. In contrast, the rates of both H2 evolution and isotope exchange by hydrogenase were substantially decreased when solvent containing alcohol. Hydrogenase was inactivated by 100% ethanol with a half-life of 17 s. Hydrogenase from A. vinelandii was stable when stored in alcohol/buffer solvents at 20 degrees C or below. However, the thermal stability of hydrogenase was greatly decreased by inclusion of an alcohol in the solvent. When incubated at 55 degrees C in a solvent containing 40% ethanol, activity decreased in a first-order process with a half-life of 7 min. When incubated at the same temperature in aqueous buffer, no loss of activity was observed over 30 min.