In cell free extracts of Rps. capsulata obtained by exposure of cells to ultrasonic oscillation, about 90% of the hydrogenase is associated with the particulate chromatophore fraction. The particulate enzyme reacts with methylene blue (MB), menadione, phenazonium methosulfate (PMS), dichlorophenolindophenol (DCPIP), cytochrome c, p-benzoquinone (BQ), ferricyanide and O2,, but does not react with benzylviologen (BV), pyridinnucleotides and flavinnucleotides. Treatment of chromatophores with sodiumlaurylsulfate inactivates the hydrogenase reaction with PMS, DCPIP, BQ and ferricyanide. The MB-linked or menadione-linked hydrogenase is not destroyed by the detergent. The hydrogenase reaction with BV is increased more than 20-fold after incubation of the chromatophores with the lipid-dispersing agent. Treatment of chromatophores with acetone and petroleum ether almost completely inactivates the hydrogenase reaction with PMS and BQ. The reaction rate of the DCPIP-linked and the ferricyanide-linked hydrogenase is somewhat decreased, whereas the MB-linked, the menadione-linked and the BV-linked hydrogenase reactions still exhibit about 100% of the original activity. By extraction of the acetone-treated chromatophores with glycine-NaOH-buffer (pH 9), about 10 — 15% of the particulate hydrogenase is solubilized. The enzyme was 9-fold purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation and chromatography on DEAE-cellulose. The purified enzyme contains no cytochrome. The relative reaction rates of the solubilized enzyme with different electron acceptors are similar to the corresponding reaction rates of the acetonetreated chromatophores. Extraction of chromatophores with n-butanol results in the solubilization of 5 — 10% of the particulate enzyme. By extraction of acetone-treated chromatophores with 0,5% Triton X-100, 40% of the particulate hydrogenase is solubilized. The fractionation of the extract with ammonium sulfate results in the isolation of a cytochrome c-containing particle which exhibits a 3-fold increased hydrogenase activity.
