A Key Enzyme of the NAD⁺ Salvage Pathway in Thermus thermophilus: Characterization of Nicotinamidase and the Impact of Its Gene Deletion at High Temperatures.

ABSTRACT: NAD (NAD⁺) is a cofactor related to many cellular processes. This cofactor is known to be unstable, especially at high temperatures, where it chemically decomposes to nicotinamide and ADP-ribose. Bacteria, yeast, and higher organisms possess the salvage pathway for reconstructing NAD⁺ from these decomposition products; however, the importance of the salvage pathway for survival is not well elucidated, except for in pathogens lacking the NAD⁺de novo synthesis pathway. Herein, we report the importance of the NAD⁺ salvage pathway in the thermophilic bacterium Thermus thermophilus HB8 at high temperatures. We identified the gene encoding nicotinamidase (TTHA0328), which catalyzes the first reaction of the NAD⁺ salvage pathway

SUBMITTER: Taniguchi H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5553036 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature