Catalyzes the NAD(+)-dependent oxidation of formate to carbon dioxide. Formate oxidation is the final step in the methanol oxidation pathway in methylotrophic microorganisms. Has a role in the detoxification of exogenous formate in non-methylotrophic organisms. formate + NAD(+) = CO2 + NADH Cu(2+), Hg and p-chloromercuribenzoate are strong inhibitors of enzyme activity and Ca(2+), Mg(2+), Zn(2+), Mn(2+), Cd(2+) and Sn(2+) have no effect on activity indicating a cysteine residue in the protein is essential for enzyme activity or to maintain the proper structure of the enzyme. Nitrite and nitrate inhibit some enzyme activity, however cyanide, azide, thiocyanate and cyanate are strong inhibitors of the enzymatic reaction. The inhibition of cyanide is competitive with formate and reversible. Optimum pH is 7.5-8.5. Broad temperature optima between 45 and 55 degrees Celsius. Reaction rate increases steeply up to 55 degrees Celsius. 50% of activity lost after incubation for 20 minutes at 57 degrees Celsius. Thermal stability increases in the presence of glycerol. Homodimer. Expression is strongly induced by methanol, but is completely repressed in the presence of glucose. However, methanol induced expression is equally strong in cells grown on glucose when formate, methylamine or choline is added. No expression is detected in cells grown on glycerol. When formate, methylamine or choline is added to the culture medium of glycerol- or glucose-grown cells, they exhibit an induction of FDH1 expression. Is able to grow on methanol in a batch culture experiment, but its growth is greatly inhibited and a toxic level of formate accumulates in the medium. Formate is not detected in the medium in a methanol-limited chemostat culture but deletion mutant shows only one-fourth of the growth yield of the wild-type. Ideal catalyst for synthesizing chiral compounds of high enantiomeric purity from prochiral precursors due to a favorable thermodynamic equilibrium, the oxidation of formate to carbon dioxide while also reducing NAD to NADH. However, the necessesity for the presence of large quantities of the enzyme and its rapid inactivation under biotransformation conditions results in higher costs for the biocatalyst industry. In order to make this enzymatic reduction viable and to perform it on a larger scale a more efficient and cost effective process has been established. Site-directed mutagenesis has been effective in stabilizing this commercially important enzyme for its application in the biotransformation of trimethyl pyruvate to L-tert leucine. Belongs to the D-isomer specific 2-hydroxyacid dehydrogenase family. FDH subfamily.