Cloning and over-expression of human glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (Glc6P dehydrogenase) has for the first time allowed a detailed kinetic study of a preparation that is genetically homogeneous and in which all the protein molecules are of identical age. The steady-state kinetics of the recombinant enzyme, studied by fluorimetric initial-rate measurements, gave converging linear Lineweaver-Burk plots as expected for a ternary-complex mechanism. Patterns of product and dead-end inhibition indicated that the enzyme can bind NADP + and Glc6P separately to form binary complexes, suggesting a random-order mechanism. The K d value for the binding of NADP + measured by titration of protein fluorescence is 8.0 lM, close to the value of 6.8 lM calculated from the kinetic data on the assumption of a rapid-equilibrium random-order mechanism. Strong evidence for this mechanism and against either of the compulsory-order possibilities is provided by repeating the kinetic analysis with each of the natural substrates replaced in turn by structural analogues. A full kinetic analysis was carried out with deaminoNADP + and with deoxyglucose 6-phosphate as the alternative substrates. In each case the calculated dissociation constant upon switching a substrate in a random-order mechanism (e.g. that for NADP + upon changing the sugar phosphate) was indeed constant within experimental error as expected. The calculated rate constants for binding of the leading substrate in a compulsory-order mechanism, however, did not remain constant when the putative second substrate was changed. Previous workers, using enzyme from pooled blood, have variously proposed either compulsory-order or random-order mechanisms. Our study appears to provide unambiguous evidence for the latter pattern of substrate binding.Keywords: glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase; steady-state kinetics; rapid-equilibrium random-order mechanism; alternative substrate; product inhibition.Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.l.1.49) in humans is an X-chromosome-linked housekeeping enzyme, vital for the life of every cell. It catalyses the oxidation of D-glucose 6-phosphate to D-glucono-d-lactone 6-phosphate in the first committed step of the pentose phosphate pathway, which provides cells with pentoses and reducing power in the form of NADPH. In red blood cells, this is the only source of NADPH required to protect the cells (via glutathione [1,2] and catalase [3,4]) against hydrogen peroxide and other oxidative damage. Accordingly, numerous Glc6P dehydrogenase mutations are associated with haemolytic anaemia [5].Until recently, detailed structural information was available only for the Glc6P dehydrogenase of Leuconostoc mesenteroides [6]. Extensive kinetic analysis of the NAD + -and NADP + -linked reactions for this bacterial Glc6P dehydrogenase [7][8][9][10] suggests different mechanisms for the two coenzymes. NADPH inhibition of the NADP + -linked reaction was competitive with respect to NADP + and noncompetitive with respect to Glc6P, whereas inhibition of the NAD + -...