Xylose reductase from the xylose-fermenting yeast Pichia stipitis was purified to electrophoretic and spectral homogeneity via ion-exchange, affinity and high-performance gel chromatography. The enzyme was active with various aldose substrates, such as DL-glyceraldehyde, L-arabinose, D-xylose, D-ribose, D-galactose and D-glucose. Hence the xylose reductase of Pichia stipitis is an aldose reductase (EC 1.1.1.21). Unlike all aldose reductases characterized so far, the enzyme from this yeast was active with both NADPH and NADH as coenzyme. The activity with NADH was approx. 70% of that with NADPH for the various aldose substrates. NADP+ was a potent inhibitor of both the NADPH- and NADH-linked xylose reduction, whereas NAD+ showed strong inhibition only with the NADH-linked reaction. These results are discussed in the context of the possible use of Pichia stipitis and similar yeasts for the anaerobic conversion of xylose into ethanol.

Nunsmulu poljworpha CBS 4732 grown on a variety of substrates contained very high activities of enzymes catalyzing the NADH-linked reduction of dihydroxyacetone, acetoin, diacetyl, acetol, methylglyoxal and acetone. The enzymes catalyzing these reductions have been purified and their kinetic properties are described. Three different enzymes were found responsible for the above-mentioned activities, namely: (1) dihydroxyacetone reductase; (2) acetone reductase; and (3) alcohol dehydrogenase.So far, the physiological function of dihydroxyacetone reductase and acetone reductase is obscure. The kinetic properties of dihydroxyacetone reductase and the regulation of the synthesis of this enzyme suggest that it does not function as a glycerol dehydrogenase.