Human beta-glucuronidase. Studies on the effects of pH and bile acids in regard to its role in the pathogenesis of cholelithiasis

Human bile contains a considerable amount of endogenous beta-glucuronidase. The effects of pH and bile acids on its activity have been studied in regard to its role in the pathogenesis of cholelithiasis. beta-Glucuronidase, purified from human liver to homogeneity, was structurally stable between pH 4 and 10, but was active only over a much narrower range of pH, with a pH optimum of 5.2. The inactivation below pH 4 was due to its irreversible denaturation, whereas the inactivation at higher pH was due to a true reversible pH effect on the enzyme velocity. Kinetic studies revealed that hydrogen ion acted as a substrate-directed activator of the free enzyme, but not the enzyme-substrate complex, with a molecular dissociation constant of 4 X 10(-6). The enzyme activity was not affected by unconjugated bile acids, primarily due to their extremely low water solubility. Conjugated bile acids, on the other hand, exerted heterogeneous and pH-dependent effects on the enzyme. At pH 5.2, taurocholic acid and glycocholic acid were substrate-directed activators of the enzyme; taurochenodeoxycholic acid and taurodeoxycholic acid, competitive inhibitors; and glycochenodeoxycholic acid and glycodeoxycholic acid, mixed inhibitors. At pH 7.0 all taurine and glycine conjugates behaved as substrate-directed activators. Though beta-glucuronidase activity at pH 7 was only 23% of its maximal activity at pH 5.2, conjugated bile acids tended to restore its activity to a certain extent at pH 7. Thus, endogenous beta-glucuronidase could play a significant role in pigment cholelithiasis.     

Purification and characterization of p-coumaroyl-D-glucose hydroxylase of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) roots

p-Coumaroyl-D-glucose hydroxylase in sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas Lam.) has been purified to apparent electrophoretic homogeneity using a combination of anion-and cation-exchange, hydrophobic and gel filtration chromatography. The purified enzyme was a monomer with a molecular weight of 33,000 and pI of 8.3. The purified enzyme showed not only hydroxylase activity but also polyphenol oxidase activity. L-Ascorbic acid was the best electron donor for the hydroxylation reaction, which had an optimum pH of 7.0. The enzyme hydroxylated p-coumaroyl-D-glucose, p-coumaric acid, and p-cresol but did not act on o-coumaric acid, m-coumaric acid, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid or L-tyrosine. While the enzyme utilized p-coumaroyl-D-glucose and p-coumaric acid equally at pH 7.0, it hydroxylated only p-coumaroyl-D-glucose at pH 5.5. The enzyme oxidized diphenols such as D,L-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl) alanine and caffeic acid, but exhibited no clear pH optimum in this reaction characteristic of polyphenol oxidase. Both the hydroxylase and the polyphenol oxidase activities were strongly inhibited by beta-mercaptoethanol, diethyldithiocarbamate, KCN, and p-coumaric acid (in concentrations higher than 5 mM). Ammonium sulfate and sodium chloride activated the hydroxylase activity but not the polyphenol oxidase activity of the enzyme. The enzyme activity and L-ascorbic acid contents changed in a manner suggesting their involvements in chlorogenic acid biosynthesis during incubation of sliced sweet potato root tissues.     

An extracellular--pepstatin insensitive acid protease produced by Thermoplasma volcanium

In this study, some parameters for the production and caseinolytic activity of an extracellular thermostable acid protease from a thermoacidophilic archaeon Thermoplasma volcanium were determined. The highest level of growth and enzyme production were detected at pH 3.0 over an incubation period of 192 h at 60 degrees C. The pH optimum for the acid protease activity was 3.0 and the enzyme was fairly stable over a broad pH range (pH 3.0-8.0). The temperature for maximum activity of the enzyme was 55 degrees C and activity remained stable between 50 degrees C and 70 degrees C. These features could be of relevance for various biotechnological applications of this enzyme. Serine-(PMSF), cysteine-(DTT), metallo-(EDTA) and aspartate-(pepstatin) protease inhibitors did not inhibit the caseinolytic activity of the enzyme. Therefore, Tp. volcanium acid protease could be a member of the pepstatin-insensitive carboxyl proteinases.     

Purification and characterization of goose type lysozyme from cassowary (Casuarius casuarius) egg white

A novel goose-type lysozyme was purified from egg white of cassowary bird (Casuarius casuarius). The purification step was composed of two fractionation steps: pH treatment steps followed by a cation exchange column chromatography. The molecular mass of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 20.8 kDa by SDS-PAGE. This enzyme was composed of 186 amino acid residues and showed similar amino acid composition to reported goose-type lysozymes. The N-terminal amino acid sequencing from transblotted protein found that this protein had no N-terminal. This enzyme showed either lytic or chitinase activities and had some different properties from those reported for goose lysozyme. The optimum pH and temperature on lytic activity of this lysozyme were pH 5 and 30 degrees C at ionic strength of 0.1, respectively. This lysozyme was stable up to 30 degrees C for lytic activity and the activity was completely abolished at 80 degrees C. The chitinase activity against glycol chitin showed dual optimum pH around 4.5 and 11. The optimum temperature for chitinase activity was at 50 degrees C and the enzyme was stable up to 40 degrees C.     

Human small-intestinal β-galactosidases. Separation and characterization of three forms of an acid β-galactosidase

1. An acid beta-galactosidase, optimum pH4.0-4.5, in the human small-intestinal mucosa was separated and characterized. 2. Autolysis of mucosal homogenates at acid pH inactivated the lactase and hetero beta-galactosidase; the total activity of the acid beta-galactosidase was only slightly depleted, but a greater proportion of the enzyme was solubilized by this treatment. 3. Separation on a Sephadex G-200 column revealed that the acid beta-galactosidase could occur in at least three different forms, probably representing monomer, dimer and octamer or polymer of the enzyme. 4. The properties of the different forms of the acid beta-galactosidase were studied with regard to pH optimum, K(m), rate of hydrolysis of different substrates, and sensitivity to p-chloromercuribenzoate and tris as inhibitors. All these properties were the same for the different forms of the enzyme. 5. The acid beta-galactosidase hydrolyses lactose as well as hetero beta-galactosides and contributes to the lactase activity of intestinal biopsies also when measured at pH 6. This enzyme may therefore be responsible for a considerable part of the residual lactase activity found in lactose-intolerant patients.     

Purification and physicochemical characterization of a human placental acid phosphatase possessing phosphotyrosyl protein phosphatase activity

A 17-kilodalton (kDa) human placental acid phosphatase was purified 21,400-fold to homogeneity. The enzyme has an isoelectric point of pH 7.2 and a specific activity of 106 mumol min-1 mg-1 using p-nitrophenyl phosphate as a substrate at pH 5 and 37 degrees C. This placental acid phosphatase showed activity toward phosphotyrosine and toward phosphotyrosyl proteins. The pH optima of the enzyme with phosphotyrosine and with phosphotyrosyl band 3 (from human red cells) were between pH 5 and 6 and pH 5 and 7, respectively. The Km for phosphotyrosine was 1.6 mM at pH 5 and 37 degrees C. Phosphotyrosine phosphatase activity was not inhibited by tartrate or fluoride, but vanadate, molybdate, and zinc ions acted as strong inhibitors. Enzyme activity was also inhibited by DNA, but RNA was not inhibitory. It is a hydrophobic nonglycoprotein containing approximately 20% hydrophobic amino acids. The average hydrophobicity was calculated to be 903 cal/mol. The absorption coefficient at 280 nm, E1% 1cm, was determined to be 5.7. The optical ellipticity of the enzyme at 222 nm was -5200 deg cm2 dmol-1, which would correspond to a low helical content. Free sulfhydryl and histidine residues were necessary for the enzyme activity. The enzyme contained four reactive sulfhydryl groups. Chemical modification of the sulfhydryls with iodoacetate resulted in unfolding of the protein molecule as detected by fluorescence emission spectroscopy. Antisera against both the native and the denatured protein were able to immunoprecipitate the native enzyme. However, upon denaturation, the acid phosphatase lost about 70% of the antigenic determinants. Both antisera cross-reacted with a single 17-kDa polypeptide on immunoblotting.     

Production and properties of polygalacturonate lyase by an alkalophilic microorganism Bacillus sp. RK9.

Bacillus sp. RK9 was isolated from soil and produced a constitutive polygalacturonate lyase. Production of the enzyme required the presence of complex nitrogen (peptone and yeast extract). Highest activity was obtained with an initial pH of 9.7. The organism was alkalophilic. No growth occurred below pH 7.5. The enzyme was purified by salt precipitation and diethylaminoethyl (DEAE) cellulose ion-exchange chromatography. The pH optimum for activity was 10.0 in 0.01 M glycine-NaOH buffer. Calcium alone, of divalent cations, activated the enzyme by 2.9-fold. Complete inhibition of enzyme activity was achieved by 1 mM ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). Hydrolysis of substrate occurred in a random fashion and the enzyme was 50% more active towards acid soluble pectic acid (ASPA) than towards sodium polypectate.     

Amylolytic lactic acid bacteria in fish silage

An ∝aL-amylase activity has been observed in lactic acid bacteria occurring initially in fermented fish silage. The organisms belong to the genus Leuconostoc . The main fraction of the amylolytic enzyme produced by one of the isolated bacteria is cell-bound and is released into the medium at a late stage of growth. Treating cells with ultrasound or Triton X-100 increases enzyme activity in the culture filtrate. The pH range for enzyme activity is 5.0–7.0, with an optimum at pH 6.0. The enzyme is extremely labile at pH 8.0 and is inactivated at temperatures above 50°C at pH 5.8. Two enzyme fractions were found by isoelectric focusing, the main one at pH 5.00 and another at pH 4.5. Chromatography on DEAE cellulose gave two active peaks.     

Characterization and overproduction of the Escherichia coli appA encoded bifunctional enzyme that exhibits both phytase and acid phosphatase activities

The appA gene that was previously shown to code for an acid phosphatase instead codes for a bifunctional enzyme exhibiting both acid phosphatase and phytase activities. The purified enzyme with a molecular mass of 44,708 Da was further separated by chromatofocusing into two isoforms of identical size with isoelectric points of 6.5 and 6.3. The isoforms had identical pH optima of 4.5 and were stable at pH values from 2 to 10. The temperature optimum for both phytase isoforms was 60 degrees C. When heated at different pH values the enzyme showed the greatest thermal resistance at pH 3. The pH 6.5 isoform exhibited K(m) and Vmax values of 0.79 mM and 3165 U.mg-1 of protein for phytase activity and 5.5 mM and 712 U.mg-1 of protein for acid phosphatase, respectively. The pH 6.3 isoform exhibited slightly lower K(m) and Vmax values. The enzyme exhibited similar properties to the phytase purified by Greiner et al. (1993), except the specific activity of the enzyme was at least 3.5-fold less than that previously reported, and the N-terminal amino acid sequence was different. The Bradford assay, which was used by Greiner et al. (1993) for determination of enzyme concentration was, in our hands, underestimating protein concentration by a factor of 14. Phytase production using the T7 polymerase expression system was enhanced by selection of a mutant able to grow in a chemically defined medium with lactose as the carbon source and inducer. Using this strain in fed-batch fermentation, phytase production was increased to over 600 U.mL-1. The properties of the phytase including the low pH optimum, protease resistance, and high activity, demonstrates that the enzyme is a good candidate for industrial production as a feed enzyme.     

Effect of tannic acid on brush border disaccharidases in mammalian intestine

Tannic acid is a glucoside (penta-m-digallolyl-glucose), which exhibits a wide variety of physiological functions. Around neutral pH, 0.4 mM tannic acid produced 84% inhibition of rat brush border sucrase activity, but 35-40% enzyme inhibition was observed in the rabbit intestine at 0.08 mM concentration. In the mice, 74-77% enzyme inhibition was observed at 0.05 mM concentration of tannic acid. The observed inhibition was reversible in rat intestine. Tannic acid (0.2 mM) also inhibited lactase (18% in adult and 71% in suckling animals), maltase (76%) and trehalase (88%) activities in rat intestine. pH versus activity curves showed that 0.2 mM tannic acid inhibited enzyme activity in rat by 91% at pH 5.5 which was reduced to 14% at pH 8.5 compared to the respective controls. In the rabbit 18-60% enzyme inhibition was noticed below pH 7.0, however at pH 8.5, it was of the order of 38%. Kinetic analysis revealed that tannic acid is a competitive inhibitor of rat brush border sucrase at pH 6.8. Effect of tannic acid together with various -SH group reacting reagents revealed that the enzyme inhibition is additive in nature, suggesting the distinct nature of binding sites on the enzyme for these compounds. The results suggest that tannic acid is a potent inhibitor of intestinal brush border disaccharidases, and could modulate the intestinal functions.     

Some properties of cathepsins chemically fixed to carriers.

An insoluble preparation of rat liver cathepsin D was obtained by coupling the enzyme to Enzacryl Polyacetal (EPA-cathepsin) and to CNBr-activated Sepharose 4B. EPA-cathepsin was active toward the synthetic hexapeptides (Gly-Phe-Leu)2 and did not split hemoglobin. The optimum pH of splitting was displaced upward by 1.5 units to pH 5.0. The enzyme exhibited maximum activity at 60 degrees C. No appreciable loss of activity was seen on storage of the enzyme for 4 months or after repeated use of the preparations. Coupling of rat liver cathepsin D to activated Sepharose gave preparations active towards both protein and synthetic substrates. The preparations were totally inactive in acid media and exhibited maximum activity at pH 7.0, that is, under physiological conditions. Optimum temperature was 65 degrees. The specific activity of the preparations (pH 7.0, 65 degrees) was 60-110 percent that of the free enzyme in acid media. Proteolytic activity of the Sepharose-coupled cathepsin D was not inhibited by pepstatin, whereas that of the free enzyme was fully inhibited by this reagent. A sarcoma cathepsin, similar in some of its properties to the rat liver enzyme, was also coupled to CNBr-activated Sepharose 4B. The preparation split protein substrates at pH 7.0 and possessed enhanced thermostability. The enzymes fixed on Sepharose showed increased stability.     

解淀粉芽孢杆菌Q-426酚酸脱羧酶的克隆表达及酶学性质鉴定*

目的:生物法脱羧制备4-乙烯基衍生物具有诸多优势和良好的发展前景,研究解淀粉芽孢杆菌Q-426酚酸脱羧酶(BaPAD-Q-426)的酶学性质,为其进一步应用提供理论基础。方法:从解淀粉芽孢杆菌中克隆酚酸脱羧酶基因;以pET-28a(+)为载体,将重组质粒转化至E. coli BL21(DE3)中,实现酚酸脱羧酶BaPAD-Q-426的高效表达,利用Ni-NTA亲和层析进行纯化,并进行酶学性质鉴定。结果:酚酸脱羧酶BaPAD-Q-426在pH 7.0~9.0范围内保持良好的pH稳定性,最适pH为8.0;在25~40℃范围内保持着较高的酶活性,最适温度为35℃,在4℃时保持30 min后该酶依然保持95%以上的酶活性;K⁺对BaPAD-Q-426的酶活具有明显促进作用,酶活力提高60%;该酶在石油醚中具有良好的耐受能力,在40%石油醚存在下,仍保留50%以上的酶活力;BaPAD-Q-426的最适底物为阿魏酸,酶活力达到19.5 IU/mL。结论:与其他来源的酚酸脱羧酶相比,BaPAD-Q-426在低温时具有更好的稳定性,在弱碱性环境下对阿魏酸的催化脱羧能力最强。     

trans-2, cis-4-Heptadienoic Acid,One of Metabolites of Sporobolomyces odorus

Water-soluble phospholipase B was purified to homogeneity from Torulaspora delbrueckii cell washings. The washings were concentrated by ultrafiltration, and then a fraction with phospholipase B activity was precipitated with ammonium sulfate, and purified by sequential column chromatographies on Octyl-Sepharose CL-4B, DEAE-Sephacel, and Sepharose 6B. The molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated to be 170,000~200,000 by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and by gel filtration with a Sephadex G-200 column. The isoelectric point of the enzyme was 4.0. The purified enzyme had two pH optima at pH 2.5 and pH 7.5. The activity at acidic pH was greatly stimulated by the divalent metal ions tested, but the activity at alkaline pH was stimulated mainly by Ca²⁺ and Fe²⁺. The purified enzyme had both lysophospholipase activity and phospholipase B activity in a ratio of 37:1 at acidic pH and 73:1 at alkaline pH. The amino acid composition of the enzyme was characterized by high contents of Asp, Ser, Leu, and Gly.     

Extracellular acid and alkaline proteases from Candida olea

Candida olea 148 secreted a single acid protease when cultured at acidic pH. In unbuffered medium, the culture pH eventually became alkaline and a single alkaline protease was produced. This was the only proteolytic enzyme produced when the organism was grown in buffered medium at alkaline pH. Both proteolytic enzymes were purified to homogeneity (as assessed by SDS-PAGE). The Mr of the acid protease was 30900, the isoelectric point 4.5; optimum activity against haemoglobin was at 42 degrees C and pH 3.3. This enzyme was inactivated at temperatures above 46 degrees C and was inhibited by either pepstatin and diazoacetyl-norleucine methyl ester but was insensitive to inhibition by either 1,2-epoxy-3-(p-nitrophenoxy)-propane or compounds known to inhibit serine, thiol or metallo proteases. The acid protease contained 11% carbohydrate. The alkaline protease had an Mr of 23400 and isoelectric point of 5.4. The activity of this enzyme using azocoll as substrate above 42 degrees C and was inhibited by phenylmethyl-sulphonyl fluoride and irreversible inactivated by EDTA. The enzyme was also partially inhibited by DTT but was insensitive to either pepstatin or p-chloromercuribenzoic acid.     

Effect of ascorbic acid on thioglucosidases from different crucifers

Thioglucosidase activity was demonstrated in partially-purified preparations from several Cruciferae oilseeds, both in the presence and absence of ascorbic acid. The amount of activation by ascorbic acid differed among the enzyme preparations from different species. Buffer composition and pH were found to significantly affect enzyme activity, the turret rape enzyme showing a second optimum at pH 7·1 in the presence of ascorbic acid and sodium phosphate buffer. Disc electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gel revealed distinct isoenzyme patterns from crude extracts of all nine species or varieties studied. Some differences in the patterns were noted from electrophoresis of partially-purified preparations. Ascorbic acid was found to affect isoenzyme patterns and the rate of development of equivalent isoenzymes from yellow mustard and from turret rape.     

Purification and properties of GTP-cyclohydrolase from Bacillus subtilis]

Highly purified GTP-cyclohydrolase was obtained by fractionation of cell extracts with ammonium sulfate, ion-exchange and hydrophobic chromatography. The N-terminal amino acid sequence and amino acid composition of the protein were determined. According to SDS-PAGE data, the molecular weight of the enzyme is 45 kDa. The active enzyme has several isoforms separable by native electrophoresis. The maximal enzyme activity is determined at 1.5 mM Mn2+; 70% of enzymatic activity is detected with Mg2+. The enzyme is inhibited by heavy metal ions and chelators and is inactive in the absence of thiol-reducing agents. The enzyme activity is detected in a broad range of pH with a maximum at pH 8.2. The pyrimidine product of the GTP-cyclohydrolase reaction. 2.5-diamino-6-hydroxy-4-ribosylaminopyrimidine-5'-phosphate was purified and identified. Another product of this reaction is pyrophosphate.     

Intracellular phospholipase activities of Tetrahymena pyriformis

Phospholipase activity was studied in the protozoan Tetrahymena pyriformis NT-1 by using exogenous phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine. Several phospholipase activities were found in Tetrahymena homogenates. They were distinguished with respect to pH optimum, activity dependence on Ca2+, substrate specificity and positional specificity. Ca2+-Dependent phospholipase activity had an optimal pH around 9 and gave rise to free fatty acid and lysophospholipid. This enzyme hydrolyzes phosphatidylethanolamine but not phosphatidylcholine. The alkaline phospholipase with A1 activity was located mainly in the surface membrane (pellicle fraction). The enzyme activity had a pH optimum ranging from 8 to 9, and required 2 mM CaCl2 for the maximal activity. All detergents tested inhibited the enzyme activity. Ca2+-Independent phospholipase activity had an optimal pH from 4 to 5 and gave rise to free fatty acid, lysophospholipid, diacylglycerol, and monoacylglycerol. We concluded that there are at least three phospholipase in Tetrahymena homogenates, i.e., alkaline phospholipase A and acidic phospholipases A and C.     

Identification by affinity labeling of potential sites in 23-S rRNA interacting with the 3'' end of tRNA

Tyrosine 3-monooxygenase was purified to homogeneity, as judged by sodium dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, from rat adrenal. The specific activity of the final preparation was approximately 1,600 nmol min-1 mg protein-1, which was much higher than the highest yet reported. The enzyme was markedly stabilized in the presence of glycerol, Tween 80 and EDTA. As judged by gel filtration on Ultrogel AcA 34, sodium dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and cross-linking studies, the enzyme appeared to be composed of four identical subunits, each possessing a molecular weight of 59,000. The isoelectric point of the enzyme was estimated to be 6.7 in the presence of 8 M urea and 6.6 in its absence. Amino acid analysis of the enzyme revealed a fairly high content of serine residues in this protein. Purification of the enzyme caused changes in the kinetic properties of the enzyme. The Km for 2-amino-4-hydroxy-6-methyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropteridine decreased from 220 microM to 58 microM. The pH profile for the enzyme activity became more broad and the pH optimum was changed from an acid pH to a neutral pH. Although polyanions, such as heparin and dextran sulfate, markedly stimulated the activity of crude enzyme by increasing the V, they were much less effective in the activation of purified enzyme. A marked stimulation of the enzyme activity by phospholipids, such as phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine, were not observed in both pure and crude preparations even at low concentrations of the pterin cofactor.     

Purification and some properties of chlorogenic acid oxidase from apple (Malus pumila).

Chlorogenic acid oxidase was extensively purified to homogeneity from apple flesh (Malus pumila cv. Fuji). The enzyme was purified 470-fold, with a total yield close to 70% from the plastid fraction by ammonium sulfate precipitation, gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography. The molecular weight was determined to be 65,000 by both SDS-PAGE and gel filtration chromatography. The optimum pH for the enzyme activity was around 4.0, and the enzyme was stable in the range of pH 6-8. The pI obtained by isoelectrofocusing was 5.4, and the N-terminal amino acid sequence was N-Asp-Pro-Leu-Ala-Pro-Pro-. The reaction rate of the purified enzyme was much larger for chlorogenic acid than for other o-diphenols such as (+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin and 4-methylcatechol, and the enzyme lacked both cresolase activity and p-diphenol oxidase activity. The Km value for the enzyme was found to be 122 microM toward chlorogenic acid. The purified enzyme had far less thermal stability than the enzyme of the plastid fraction. Diethyl-dithiocarbamate, sodium azide, o-phenanthroline and sodium fluoride markedly inhibited the enzyme activity.     

Cholesterol-Esterifying Enzymes in Developing Rat Brain

Abstract: A cholesterol-esterifying enzyme which incorporates exogenous fatty acids into cholesterol esters in the presence of ATP and coenzyme A was demonstrated in 15-day-old rat brain. This enzyme was maximally active at pH 7.4 and distinct from the cholesterol-esterifying enzyme reported earlier (Eto and Suzuki, 1971), which has a pH optimum at 5.2 and does not require cofactors. Properties of the two enzymes have been compared. Both the enzymes showed negligible esterification with acetate and were maximally active with oleic acid. The pH 5.2 enzyme esterified desmosterol, lanosterol and cholesterol at about the same rate, while the pH 7.4 enzyme was only 50% as active with lanosterol as it was with cholesterol and desmosterol. Phosphatidyl serine stimulated the pH 5.2 enzyme but not the pH 7.4 enzyme. Phosphatidyl choline and sodium taurocholate showed no effect on either of the enzymes. Both the enzymes were associated with particulate fractions, but the pH 7.4 enzyme was localized more in the microsomes. Purified myelin showed 2.6-fold and 1.5-fold higher specific activities of pH 5.2 and 7.4 enzymes respectively, when compared with homogenate. About 7–10% of total activity of both the enzymes was associated with purified myelin. Brain stem and spinal cord showed higher specific activity of pH 5.2 enzyme than cerebral cortex and cerebellum, while pH 7.4 enzyme specific activity was higher in cerebellum and brain stem than in cerebral cortex and spinal cord. Microsomal pH 7.4 activity showed progressive increase prior to the active period of myelination, reaching a maximum on the 15th day after birth and declined to 20% of the peak activity by 30 days. In contrast, pH 5.2 enzyme reached maximum activity about the 6th day after birth and remained at this level well into adulthood. In 15-day-old rat brain, pH 7.4 enzyme had five to six times higher specific activity than pH 5.2 enzyme, while in adults the activities were equal. The pH 7.4 enzyme showed a threefold higher specific activity than pH 5.2 enzyme in myelin from 15-day-old rats, but in adults the reverse was true.