Purification of an epoxide hydrolase from Rhodotorula glutinis

The epoxide hydrolase from Rhodotorula glutinis was isolated and initially characterized. The enzyme was membrane associated and could be solubilized by Triton X-100. Purification yielded an enzyme with sp. act. of 66 mu mol 1,2-epoxyhexane hydrolyzed min(-1) mg(-1) protein. The enzyme was not completely purified to homogeneity but, nevertheless, a major protein was isolated by SDS-PAGE for subsequential amino acid determination of peptide fragments. From sequence alignments to related enzymes, a high homology towards the active site sequences of other microsomal epoxide hydrolases was found. Molecular mass determinations indicated that the native enzyme exists as a homodimer, with a subunit molecular mass of about 45 kDa. Based upon these, this epoxide hydrolase is structurally related to other microsomal epoxide hydrolases.