A prokaryotic expression plasmid, pKK-DT2, containing the cDNA of rat liver NAD(P)H:quinone-acceptor oxidoreductase (EC 1.6.99.2; DT-diaphorase) was constructed and used to transform Escherichia coli strain JM109. The rat liver quinone reductase was expressed in strain in JM109 and was inducible with isopropyl beta-D-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG). The expressed rat protein was purified by affinity chromatography and had kinetic and physical properties identical with the protein purified from rat liver in that it could utilize either NADH or NADPH as the electron donor and its activity was inhibited by dicoumarol. In addition, we have generated four mutants, Arg-177----His (R177H), Arg-177----Ala (R177A), Arg-177----Cys (R177C) and Arg-177----Leu (R177L), using this expression system. Several of the mutants behaved anomalously on SDS/PAGE, but all of the mutant proteins had the expected M(r) as determined by electrospray m.s. These results and those obtained from enzyme kinetic analysis, u.v./visible absorption spectral analysis, and flavin and tryptophan fluorescence analysis of the wild-type enzyme and four mutants indicated that mutations at Arg-177 changed the conformation of the enzyme, resulting in a decrease in enzyme activity. Replacing Arg-177 with leucine altered the protein conformation and decreased FAD incorporation.