Nicotinamide 1 -1l-D-riboside (Nir), the cationic, reducible moiety of the coenzyme NAD', has been confirmed as an unusual substrate for purified purine-nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) from a mammalian source (calf spleen). It is also a substrate of the enzyme from Escherichia coli. The K,, values at pH 7, 1.48 mM and 0.62 mM, respectively, were 1-2 orders of magnitude higher than for the natural substrate inosine, but the V,,,,>, values were comparable, 96% and 35% that for Ino. The pseudo first-order rate constants, V,,,,,IK,,,, were 1 .I % and 2.5 o/o for the calf spleen and E. coli enzymes. The aglycon, nicotinamide, was neither a substrate nor an inhibitor of PNP.Nir was a weak inhibitor of inosine phosphorolysis catalyzed by both enzymes, with K, values close to the K,,, for its phosphorolysis, consistent with simple competitive inhibition; this was further confirmed by Dixon plots. Phosphorolysis of the fluorescent positively charged substrate 7-methylguanosine was also inhibited in a competitive manner by both Ino and Nir. Phosphorolysis of Nir by both enzymes was inhibited competitively by several specific inhibitors of calf spleen and E. coli PNP, with K, values similar to those for inhibition of other natural substrates.The pH dependence of the kinetic constants for the phosphorolysis of Nir and of a variety of other substrates, was extensively investigated, particularly in the alkaline pH range, where Nir exhibited abnormally high substrate activity relative to the reduced reaction rates of both enzymes towards other anionic or neutral substrates.The overall results are discussed in relation to present concepts regarding binding and phosphorolysis of substrates by PNP based on crystallographic data of enzyme-inhibitor complexes, and current studies on enzymatic and nonenzymatic mechanisms of the cleavage of the Nir glycosidic bond.Keywords; nicotinamide riboside ; purine-nucleoside phosphorylase; substratehnhibitor properties ; enzyme kinetics: pH dependence.The ubiquitous enzyme purine-nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) catalyzes the reversible phosphorolysis of purine nucleosides such as guanosine and inosine and their deoxy counterparts in mammals [I], and additionally adenosine in some lower organisms such as Escherichiu coli and Salmonella typhimurium 121, as follows:Considerable attention is currently devoted to elucidation of the reaction mechanism, and development of potent specific inhibitors of the enzymes from various sources 13-51. Potential clinical applications of inhibitors involve treatment of T-cell leukemias, suppression of the host-versus-graft response in organ transplantations, and potentiation of the chemotherapeutic activity of PNP-cleavable nucleoside analogues 13, 61.Some non-natural purine-nucleoside analogues have been shown to be substrates, e.g. 7-alkyl congeners of guanosine and inosine [7], 7-P-D-and 3-P-D-purine ribosides [8, 91. while 8-azapurine analogues [lo], as well as the mesoionic anti-influenza agent 1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-ylcyanamide [ 11 1 undergo irreversible ribosy...