Tyr-51 is the proton donor–acceptor for NAD(H)-dependent interconversion of xylose and xylitol by Candida tenuis xylose reductase (AKR2B5)

Substitution of active-site Tyr-51 by Ala (Y51A) disrupted the activity of Candida tenuis xylose reductase by six orders of magnitude. External bromide brought about unidirectional rate enhancement (≈2 × 103-fold at 300 mM) for NAD+-dependent xylitol oxidation by Y51A. Activity of the wild-type reductase was dependent on a single ionizable protein group exhibiting a pK of 9.2 ± 0.1 and 7.3 ± 0.3 in the holo-enzyme bound with NADH and NAD+, respectively. This group which had to be protonated for xylose reduction and unprotonated for xylitol oxidation was eliminated in Y51A, consistent with a catalytic acid–base function of Tyr-51. Bromide may complement the xylitol dehydrogenase activity of Y51A by partly restoring the original hydrogen bond between the reactive alcohol and the phenolate of Tyr-51.