The diphosphoinositide kinase of rat brain

1. The supernatant fraction of adult rat brain contains a diphosphoinositide kinase. 2. Formation of triphosphoinositide by the enzyme in the presence of ATP and Mg(2+) ions was shown with labelled ATP or labelled diphosphoinositide. 3. The kinase was also activated by Ca(2+), Mn(2+) and Co(2+) ions, but to a smaller extent than by Mg(2+) ions. 4. In the presence of optimum Mg(2+) ion concentration the enzyme was inhibited by Ca(2+) ions. 5. Activity did not depend on thiol groups and the pH optimum was 7.3. 6. The dialysed supernatant fraction had no diglyceride kinase activity and negligible phosphatidylinositol kinase activity. 7. Triphosphoinositide phosphomonoesterase was present but showed little activity under the conditions used to assay the kinase. 8. Diphosphoinositide kinase was purified by ammonium sulphate fractionation, ethanol treatment and chromatography on Sephadex G-200. 9. This purification removed much of the triphosphoinositide phosphomonoesterase.     

The hydrolysis of triphosphoinositide by a phosphodiesterase in rat kidney cortex

The hydrolysis of triphosphoinositide by a phosphodiesterase has been demonstrated in rat kidney cortex. Subcellular fractionation studies revealed that the enzyme activity was predominantly found in the supernatant fraction. After acid precipitation and ammonium sulfate fractionation, the soluble enzyme was free from triphosphoinositide phosphomonoesterase activity.Although the partially purified enzyme did not require added divalent cations for activity, it was strongly inhibited by EDTA (0.1 mm). In the absence of EDTA, added MgCl₂ or CaCl₂ depressed the enzyme activity. The enzyme preparation was specific to polyphosphoinositides; it did not attack phosphatidylinositol and other phospholipids. It hydrolyzed both diphosphoinositide and triphosphoinositide with the formation of 1,2-diglyceride and organic phosphate.     

Studies on the properties of triphosphoinositide phosphomonoesterase and phosphodiesterase of rabbit iris smooth muscle.

The rabbit iris smooth muscle has been shown to contain triphosphoinositide phosphomonoesterase (phosphatidyl-myo-inositol-4,5-bisphosphate phosphohydrolase, EC 3.1.3.36) and phosphodiesterase (triphosphoinositide inositoltrisphosphohydrolase, EC 3.1.4.11) activities. Under our experimental conditions about 77% of the phosphomonoesterase and 61% of the phosphodiesterase activities were localized in the particulate fraction. The kinetic properties of the enzymes in the microsomal fraction were examined. The enzyme preparation was specific to polyphosphoinositides; it did not attack phosphatidylinositol under the present assay condition. The effects of Ca2+ and Mg2+ were also studied. Although the microsomal enzymes did not require added divalent cations for their activities, both the phosphomonoesterase and phosphodiesterase were appreciably inhibited by 1 mM EDTA. Phosphodiesterase and phosphomonoesterase were stimulated by Ca2+ and Mg2+, respectively. The demonstration of triphosphoinositide phosphodiesterase in the iris muscle, coupled with the findings that this enzyme is activated by Ca2+ and is not influenced by acetylcholine add further support to our previous conclusion (J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. (1978) 204, 655--668; J. Neurochem. (1978) 30, 517--525) that an increased Ca2+ influx, following the interaction between the neurotransmitter and its receptor, could act to stimulate the phosphodiesterase, thus leading to increased triphosphoinositide breakdown and increased phosphatidic acid via increased diacylglycerol.     

Phosphatases ofAcinetobacter lwoffi. Localization and regulation of synthesis by orthophosphate

Several phosphomonoesterases and diesterases with various pH optima have been observed inAcinetobacter lwofi JW11. The osmotic shock fluids contained only those with an alkaline pH optimum. The synthesis of these phosphatases was regulated by external Pi concentrations. The shock fluids were fractionated by chromatography, yielding three fractions, two of which had hydrophobic properties. One of these contained an alkaline phosphatase that specifically required Ca²⁺ for activity. The diesterases required various divalent cations for their function. Mutants that lack phosphomonoesterase or both phosphomonoesterase and phosphodiesterase activities were isolated.     

Phosphomonoesterase hydrolysis of polyphosphoinositides in rat kidney: Properties and subcellular localization of the enzyme system.

Tthe properties of diphosphoinositide and triphosphoinositide phosphatases from rat kidney homogenate were studied in an assay system in which non-specific phosphatase activity was eliminated. The enzymes were not completely metal-ion dependent and were activated by Mg2+. The detergent sodium deoxycholate, Triton X-100 and Cutscum inhibited the reaction; cetyltrimethylammonium bromide only activated when added with the subtrates and in the presence Mg2+. Both enzymes had a pH optimum of 7.5. Ca2+ and Li+ both activated triphosphoinositide phosphatase, but Ca2+ inhibited and L+ had little effect on diphosphoinositide phosphatase. Cyclic AMP had no effect on either enzyme. The enzymes were three times more active in kidney cortex than in the medulla. On subcellular fractionation of kidney-cortex homogenates by differential and density-gradient centrifugation, the distribution of the enzymes resembled that of thiamin pyrophosphatase (assayed in the absence of ATP), suggesting localization in the Golgi complex. However, the distribution differed from that of the liver Golgimarker galactosyltransferase. Activities of both diphosphoinositide and triphosphoinositide phosphatases and thiamin pyrophosphatase were low in purified brush-border fragments. Further experiments indicate that at least part of the phosphatase activity is soluble.     

Purification and properties of polyphosphoinositide phosphomonoesterase from rat brain.

1. On subcellular fractionation of rat brain homogenate, polyphosphoinositide phosphomonoesterase activity was greater in the cytosol than the membranous fractions. 2. The enzyme was purified from the cytosol by column chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, calcium phosphate gel and Sephadex G-100. 3. The final preparation of the enzyme showed a 430-fold purification over the whole homogenate and appeared to be homogeneous since it gave a single band on sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and on isoelectric focusing. The enzyme has a relatively low molecular weight and an isoelectric point of 6.8. 4. The phosphatase showed a high affinity for triphosphoinositide. Without added Mg2+, the Km was 25 muM and V was 33 mumol Pi released/min/mg protein. 5. The enzyme hydrolysed diphosphoinositide at a slower rate than triphosphoinositide. In the presence of 10 mM Mg2+, the Km values for triphosphoinositide and diphosphoinositide were 5 muM and 25 muM respectively and V was the same for each substrate. 6. Both Mg2+ and Ca2+ activated the enzyme. While Ca2+ produced maximum activation at 100 muM, a much higher concentration of Mg2+ (10 mM) was required to elicit comparable activation. The enzyme did not show an absolute requirement for Mg2+ or Ca2+ as it exhibited low activity in the presence of 0.5 mM EDTA or EGTA. 7. The phosphatase showed maximum activity between 7.4 and 7.6. A drop in pH to 7.0 activated it almost completely, whereas an increase in pH to 8.0 halved the activity. 7.0 activated it almost completely, whereas an increase in pH to 8.0 halved the activity.     

Properties of phosphatidylinositol kinase activities in rabbit erythrocyte membranes

Properties of phosphatidylinositol kinase activities in rabbit erythrocyte membranes were studied by measuring 32P incorporation into di- and triphosphoinositide from Mg-[gamma-32P]ATP. The Km's for 32P incorporation into di- and triphosphoinositide were 110 and 48 microM ATP, respectively. The optimal temperature for 32P incorporation into diphosphoinositide was at 32 degrees C, whereas the optimum for triphosphoinositide labeling occurred at 43 degrees C. Differences in the effects of pH on the rate of 32P incorporation into di- and triphosphoinositide were also found. At 37 degrees C but not at 25 degrees C 32P-labeled diphosphoinositide was phosphorylated to triphosphoinositide in the presence of Mg-ATP. Triton X-100 partially inhibited 32P incorporation into diphosphoinositide but completely inhibited the synthesis of triphosphoinositide. At physiological concentrations, 0.4 mM MgCl2 half-maximally activated di- and triphosphoinositide synthesis. Higher concentrations of MgCl2 (5 to 50 mM) decreased 32P incorporation into diphosphoinositide and greatly enhanced 32P incorporation into triphosphoinositide. NaCl or KCl (less than or equal to 100 mM) did not have any effects on polyphosphoinositide synthesis, whereas 150 to 300 mM NaCl or KCl decreased synthesis of diphosphoinositide and increased synthesis of triphosphoinositide. Further studies showed that 50 mM MgCl2 and 200 mM NaCl or KCl stimulate kinase-mediated phosphorylation of diphosphoinositide to triphosphoinositide. Triton X-100 inhibited the ability of 50 mM MgCl2 and neomycin to stimulate phosphorylation of diphosphoinositide to triphosphoinositide. The pathways for synthesis of di- and triphosphoinositides in erythrocyte membranes are discussed.     

TRIPHOSPHOINOSITIDE PHOSPHODIESTERASE IN DEVELOPING BRAIN OF THE RAT AND IN SUBCELLULAR FRACTIONS OF BRAIN

Abstract— An assay system for the measurement of triphosphoinositide phosphodiesterase in homogenates of rat brain is described. With triphosphoinositide (TPI) as substrate, and in the presence of 0·1 m -KCI and saturating amounts of diethyl ether, the activity of phosphodiesterase in myelinated brain was 400–500 μmoles of TPI hydrolysed per g wet wt. per hr. One quarter of the adult level of the enzyme was present in rat brain one day after birth, with the remainder being added prior to and during the early stages of myelination. On subfractionation of brain homogenates, substantial activity of the enzyme was located in the soluble portion and in the paniculate fractions enriched in myelin and synaptosomes. The enzyme associated with the particulate fractions could not be detached from the membranes by any of several methods employed. There was a rough correlation between distribution of phosphodiesterase and that of 5'-nucleotidase, an enzyme associated with plasma membrane in a number of tissues. Some implications of the results are discussed.     

Regulation of the formation of acid phosphatases by inorganic phosphate in Aspergillus ficuum

Two types of extracellular acid phosphatases are synthesized by Aspergillus ficuum NRRL 3135: a nonspecific orthophosphoric monoester phosphohydrolase (EC 3.1.3.2) with an optimum pH of 2.0, and an enzyme with restricted specificity, a mesoinositol-hexaphosphate phosphohydrolase (EC 3.1.3.8; phytase) with an optimum pH of 5.5. Although the pH 5.5 enzyme is termed a phytase, both enzymes hydrolyze phytin. Synthesis of the enzymes is repressed by high orthophosphate concentrations in the fermentation medium. The highest total level for each enzyme is synthesized in low orthophosphate medium. In high orthophosphate medium, more pH 5.5 enzyme is produced than pH 2.0 enzyme. In low orthophosphate medium, more pH 5.5 enzyme is produced than pH 2.0 enzyme during the early stages of growth, but the reverse occurs after 5 days. The enzymes are differentiated by heat denaturation at acid and alkaline pH levels. They are separated into two distinct fractions on Sephadex G-100 followed by carboxymethylcellulose column chromatography. This indicates that the two enzymes are structurally different. The K(m) for both enzymes is 1.25 mm when calcium phytate is the substrate. Orthophosphate competitively inhibits the pH 2.0 (K(i) = 1.1 x 10(-2)m) but not the pH 5.5 phosphatase. Neither enzyme is denatured by 50% (w/v) urea or inhibited by 0.01 m tartrate. Thus, they differ from human prostatic phosphatase.     

Isolation and partial characterization of trehalose 6-phosphate synthase aggregates from Selaginella lepidophylla plants

Trehalose 6-phosphate synthase was purified from Selaginella lepidophylla plants and three aggregates of the enzyme were found by molecular exclusion chromatography, ion exchange chromatography and electrophoresis. Molecular exclusion chromatography showed four activity peaks with molecular weights of 624, 434, 224 and 115 kDa. Ion exchange chromatography allowed three fractions to be separated with TPS activity which eluted at 0.35, 0.7 and 1 M KCl. Native PAGE of each pool had three protein bands with apparent M(r) 660, 440 and 200 kDa. Western blot results showed that anti-TPS antibody interacted with 115 and 67 kDa polypeptides; these polypeptides share peptide sequences as indicated by internal sequence data. The effects of pH and temperature on enzyme stability and activity were studied. For fractions eluted at 0.35 and 1.0 M KCl, the optimum pH is 5.5, while an optimum pH of 7.5 for 0.7 M fraction was found. The three fractions eluted from ion exchange chromatography were stable in a pH 5-11 range. Optimal temperatures were 25, 45 and 55 degrees C for 0.7, 0.35 and 1.0 M fractions, respectively. The 0.7 M KCl fraction showed highest stability in a temperature range of 25-60 degrees C, whereas the 0.35 M KCl fraction had the lowest in the same temperature range.     

Acetylcholine increases the breakdown of triphosphoinositide of rabbit iris muscle prelabelled with [32P] phosphate.

1. Paired iris smooth muscles from rabbits were incubated for 30 min at 37 degrees C in an iso-osmotic salt medium containg glucose, inositol, cytidine and [32P]phosphate. 2. One of the pair was then incubated at 37 degrees C for 10 min in unlabelled medium containing 10mM-2-deoxyglucose and the other was incubated in the presence of acetylcholine plus eserine (0.05mM each). 2-Deoxyglucose, which was included in the incubation medium to minimize the biosynthesis of triphosphoinositide from ATP and diphosphoinositide, decreased the amount of labelled ATP by 71% and inhibited further 32P incorporation from ATP into triphosphoinositide by almost 30%. 3. Acetylcholine (0.05mM) increased significantly the loss of 32P from triphosphoinositide (the 'triphosphoinositide effect') in 32P-labelled iris muscle. This effect was measured both chemically and radiochemically. It was also observed when 32Pi was replaced by myo-[3H]inositol in the incubation medium. 4. The triphosphoinositide effect was blocked by atropine but not by D-tubocurarine. Further, muscarinic but not nicotinic agonists were found to provoke this effect. 5. Acetylcholine decreased by 28% the 32P incorporation into triphosphoinositide, presumably by stimulating its breakdown. This decrement in triphosphoinositide was blocked by atropine, but not by D-tubocurarine. 6. The triphosphoinositide effect was accompanied by a significant increase in 32P labelling, but not tissue concentration, of phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidic acid. The possible relationship between the loss of 32P label from triphosphoinositide in response to acetylcholine and the concomitant increase in that of phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidic acid is discussed. 7. The presence of triphosphoinositide phosphomonoesterase, the enzyme that might be stimulated in the iris smooth muscle by the neurotransmitter, was demonstrated, and, under our methods of homogenization and assay, more than 80% of its activity was localized in the particulate fraction.     

Regional and Subcellular Distribution in Mammalian Brain of the Enzymes Producing Adenosine

The activities of 5'-nucleotidase, 2'-nucleotidase, alkaline phosphatase, and acid phosphatase were measured in rat and autopsied human brains. The four phosphatases in the rat brain showed little change in activity after death. The activities of adenosine-producing enzymes were compared in various parts of rat and human brains. When phosphatase activity was measured at pH 7.5, 5'-nucleotidase showed the highest activity in the most parts of the brain. The activity of 2'-nucleotidase and that of nonspecific phosphatase were almost the same at pH 7.5. However, higher phosphatase activity was observed in all parts of the brain when nonspecific phosphatase activity was measured at pH 10.0 or 5.5. High specific activity of 5'-nucleotidase in the brain was detected in the membranous components, especially in the synaptic membranes. The activity of 2'-nucleotidase was distributed in the soluble and synaptosomal fractions. The highest activity of both alkaline and acid phosphatases was recovered in the crude mitochondrial fraction, with the highest specific activity in the microsomal fraction. Phosphatase activity was distributed widely in the rat brain. The activity of 5'-nucleotidase was high in the medulla oblongata, thalamus, and hippocampus, but low in the peripheral nerve, spinal cord, and occipital lobe. The activity of 2'-nucleotidase was high in the vermis and frontal lobe. The highest acid and alkaline phosphatase activities were detected in the frontal lobe and in the olfactory bulb, respectively. The distribution of the four phosphatases in the autopsied human brain was similar to that in the rat brain. The highest 5'-nucleotidase activity was observed in the temporal lobe and thalamus.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Partial purification and characterization of phosphotyrosyl-protein phosphatase from Ehrlich ascites tumor cells

We have previously described a phosphotyrosylprotein phosphatase in membrane vesicles from human epidermoid carcinoma A431 cells which is inhibited by micromolar concentration of Zn2+ and is insensitive to ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and NaF [Brautigan, D. L., Bornstein, P., & Gallis, B. (1981) J. Biol. Chem. 256, 6519-6522]. Here we present the identification and partial purification of a similar enzyme from lysates of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells. the enzyme was purified by using diethylaminoethyl-Sephadex, Zn2+ affinity, and Sephadex G-75 chromatography. During purification, the phosphatase was separated into at least three fractions, all of which exhibited very similar properties and an apparent molecular weight of 40 000 upon gel filtration. The enzyme dephosphorylated phosphotyrosine (P-Tyr)-containing carboxymethylated and succinylated (CM-SC) phosphorylase with an apparent Km of 0.8 microM, as well as P-Tyr containing casein and epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor kinase, but did not dephosphorylate P-Ser-phosphorylase. The phosphatase was inhibited by Zn2+ at micromolar concentrations (K0.5 with EGF receptor kinase = 5 X 10(-6) M; with CM-SC phosphorylase = 3.3 X 10(-5) M) but not by millimolar concentrations of EDTA and NaF. No inhibition was seen with 1 mM tetramisole, a specific inhibitor of alkaline phosphatases. P-Tyr inhibited the enzyme by 50% at 0.4 X 10(-3) M, while Tyr, Pi, PPi, and p-nitrophenyl phosphate, an excellent substrate for alkaline phosphatases and structurally very similar to P-Tyr, exerted partial inhibition at concentrations above 10(-3) M. The pH optimum was found to be 6.5-7, depending on the substrate used. Very little activity was seen below pH 5 and above pH 8.5. These properties clearly distinguish this enzyme from alkaline phosphatases, as well as the neutral and acidic protein phosphatases so far described, and therefore define it as a new enzyme of the phosphatase family--a phosphotyrosyl-protein phosphatase.     

The cell surface associated phosphatase activity of Mycobacterium bovis BCG is not regulated by environmental inorganic phosphate

Non-specific phosphomonoesterase activities (alkaline phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.1) and acid phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.2)) were examined at the cell surface of Mycobacterium bovis BCG. Using p-nitrophenylphosphate as the substrate, peaks of phosphatase activity were detected at pH 6.0, pH 10.0 and pH 12.0, suggesting the presence of one acid phosphatase and two alkaline phosphatases with distinct optimum pH values. Contrary to the situation observed in several other microorganisms, the expression of these enzymes is not regulated by the environmental inorganic phosphate concentration.     

sn-Glycero(3)phosphoinositol glycerophosphohydrolase. A new phosphodiesterase in rat tissues.

1. A phosphodiesterase that cleaves glycerophosphoinositol into glycerophosphate and inositol has been detected in rat tissues. 2. The enzyme requires Mg2+ (Mn2+) and has a pH optimum of 7.7. 3. The richest sources of the enzyme are kidney and intestinal mucosa. In pancreas subcellular fractions it occurs largely in the microsomal fraction. 4. The enzyme is inhibited by excess substrate and by the reaction product glycerophosphate. 5. Temperature-stability studies and other observations distinguish the enzyme from other membrane-bound phosphodiesterases active at an alkaline pH e.g. glycerophosphoinositol inositophosphohydrolase, glycerophosphocholine diesterase, inositol cyclic phosphate phosphodiesterase and phosphodiesterase I.     

The occurence of a neutral protease and its inhibitor in rat peritoneal macrophages.

The lysate of the glycogen-induced macrophages in rat peritoneal exudate was fractionated by centrifugation and extraction into a water extract, 1 M KCl extract and residue fractions. Approximately 50% of the neutral protease activity toward casein in the lysate was recovered in the KCl extract fraction, which was practically devoid of acid protease, cathepsin D. The pH optimum of the neutral protease toward casein and urea-denatured hemoglobin was pH 8.5. The activity was inhibited strongly by DFP or chymostatin and only partially by HgCl2 or PCMB. Addition of a salt to the reaction medium caused enhancement of the activity with an optimum concentration of 0.25 M: KCl, KBr, KI, NaCl, NaBr, NaI, and MgCl2 were all almost equally effective. When the enzyme preparation was filtered through a column of Sephadex G-75 gel in the presence of 1 M KCl, a larger molecular weight fraction at the void volume was obtained in addition to a smaller molecular weight fraction showing a caseinolytic activity insensitive to KCl concentration. The former was found to have a specific inhibitory effect on the latter activity.     

Fasciola hepatica: the presence of particle-associated and soluble nonspecific acid phosphatases.

The kinetic and physical properties of acid phosphatases in the lysosomal and microsomal fractions of F. hepatica were found to be similar, indicating that they are one and the same enzyme. In contrast, the biochemical properties of the soluble acid phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.2) were quite different from those of the lysosomal and microsomal fractions. This indicated the presence of two distinct forms of the enzyme one particle associated and the other soluble. Electrophoretic heterogeneity of these two types of acid phosphomonoesterase was seen. Two bands of activity were observed in both lysosomal and microsomal fractions and three bands in the soluble fraction.     

Soluble and membrane-bound forms of lipoprotein lipase in mouse lung tissue

Homogenates of mouse lungs were separated by differential centrifugation into two fractions containing lipoprotein lipase, namely, a soluble and a membrane-bound fraction. Lipoprotein lipase was specifically identified by its inhibition by both protamine sulfate (3 mg/ml) and sodium chloride (0.9 mol/l). The enzymatic activity of each fraction was enhanced when serum was preincubated with the enzyme. Both enzyme fractions showed optimum activity at alkaline pH, but the membrane-bound enzyme showed a higher pH optimum. In addition, the apparent Km of the soluble enzyme was lower than that of the membrane-bound enzyme. It is concluded that there are two different forms of lipoprotein lipase in mouse lung tissue that differ in a number of aspects.     

Multiple forms of phosphotyrosyl- and phosphoseryl-protein phosphatase from cardiac muscle: Partial purification and characterization of an EDTA-stimulated phosphotyrosyl-protein phosphatase

Chromatography of cardiac muscle and brain extracts on DEAE-cellulose resolved phosphotyrosyl-protein phosphatase activity into three fractions, termed Y-1, Y-2 and Y-3. These were eluted at 0.05, 0.15 and 0.3 m KCl, representing about 33, 55 and 12%, respectively, of the enzymatic activity recovered from the resin. Comparative studies demonstrated that the properties of phosphatases Y-1, Y-2 and Y-3 were distinctly different from those of previously identified phosphoseryl-protein phosphatases-1, -2, -3, and -4. Phosphatases Y-1, Y-2 and Y-3 were stimulated by EDTA and exhibited optimal activity at neutral pH. These properties were different from those of the two minor phosphotyrosyl-protein phosphatase activities associated with phosphoseryl-protein phosphatases-3, and -4, which were divalent cation dependent and exhibited optimal activity at alkaline pH. Further purification of phosphatase Y-2 from bovine heart has been carried out. The enzyme had a M_r = 65,000 (Stokes radius = 3.8 nm; s_20,w⁰ = 4.1). Its activity was stimulated by 5- to 10-fold in the presence of EDTA (K_a = 15 μM) and was strongly inhibited by micromolar concentrations of vanadate. Phosphatase Y-2 was highly specific for phosphotyrosyl-IgG and -casein, and showed little activity toward phosphoseryl-casein, -phosphorylase a, phosphothreonyl-inhibitor-1 and p-nitrophenyl phosphate. The present studies indicate that phosphotyrosyl-protein phosphatase activity in animal tissues exists in multiple forms. The major active species are specific for phosphotyrosyl proteins and represent enzymes different from the known phosphoseryl-protein phosphatases and p-nitrophenyl phosphatases.     

The deposition and metabolism of polyphosphoinositides in rat and guinea-pig brain during development

1. The deposition of triphosphoinositide and diphosphoinositide in rat and guinea-pig cerebral hemispheres during growth was measured. 2. The maximum increase in concentration of both of these phospholipids occurs during the period of myelination, but in the rat some di- and tri-phosphoinositide is present before significant myelination begins. 3. In guinea-pig cerebral hemispheres the polyphosphoinositides remaining after post-mortem breakdown are selectively enriched in dissected white matter compared with grey matter. 4. The polyphosphoinositides in the cerebral hemispheres of rats were labelled with injected (32)P very rapidly; the specific radioactivities were in the order triphosphoinositide>diphosphoinositide>monophosphoinositide>total lipid phosphorus. 5. The synthesis of triphosphoinositide in rat forebrain occurs at an appreciable rate before, and at the start of, myelination, but the amount formed per gram of tissue is four to five times greater in adult rat brains, thus maintaining a constant turnover time (about 1hr.) for the whole triphosphoinositide fraction. This indicates that the rapid turnover of triphosphoinositide is independent of myelin deposition. 6. The specific radioactivity of the brain acid-soluble phosphorus pool referred to a constant dose of (32)P/g. body wt. falls rapidly with age, reaching a minimum at 13-14 days, and then rises again. The specific radioactivities of the polyphosphoinositides reflect this change. 7. Part of the polyphosphoinositides in rat and guinea-pig cerebral hemispheres is rapidly hydrolysed post mortem leaving a stable portion resistant to further breakdown. 8. The rate and extent of post-mortem hydrolysis of the polyphosphoinositides in both species decrease with age. 9. After (32)P labelling, the specific radioactivity of the triphosphoinositide remaining in the cerebral hemispheres of the rat after post-mortem breakdown is lower than the original triphosphoinositide fraction, suggesting two metabolically distinct pools.