Effects of Organic Solvents and Chemical Modification on the Activity of Glycerol Dehydrogenase

Abstract

The addition of an organic solvent to the reaction mixture led to a change in the activity of glycerol dehydrogenase. The activity on glycerol decreased to lower than that on 1, 2-propanediol. This was due to the apparent increase in the Km value for each substrate. The system was applied to determination of 1, 2-propanediol. The standard curve for 1, 2-propanediol with a rate assay method was not affected by a 10-fold amount of glycerol in the presence of n-butanol. Chemical modification, except for succinylation of the NH₂-residue, did not cause any change in substrate specificity. The participation of a His-residue in the active site was suggested by the results of chemical modification.