In vivo regulation of glutamine synthetase by ammonium in the cyanobacterium Anabaena L-31

In cell-free preparations of NH₄⁺-grown cultures of the cyanobacterium Anabaena L-31 the glutamine synthetase activity is only half as much as in N₂-grown cultures. Using a procedure which enables quantitative purification of the enzyme to homogeneity it has been shown that the decrease in the enzyme activity is caused by NH₄⁺-mediated repression. Glutamine synthetase activity in both N₂-grown and NH₄⁺-grown Anabaena remains stable for more than 24 h in the presence of chloramphenicol suggesting low enzyme turnover and an enzyme half-life greater than the generation time (16–18 h) of the cyanobacterium. In N₂-grown cultures, a drastic decrease in the enzyme activity by exogenous NH₄⁺ can be discerned when fresh protein synthesis is prevented by chloramphenicol. The enzyme purified from such cultures has K_m values for NH₄⁺, glutamate Mg²⁺, and ATP similar to those observed for the enzyme from N₂- and NH₄⁺-grown Anabaena, but shows depression in V for all the substrates, leading to drastic decrease in specific activity. The modified enzyme also shows a sharper thermal denaturation profile. These results indicate that NH₄⁺-mediated modification to a less active form may be a means of regulation of glutamine synthetase in N₂-fixing cultures of Anabaena.     

Molecular cloning and characterisation of a novel xanthine oxidase from Cellulosimicrobium cellulans ATCC21606

Xanthine oxidase (XOD) catalyses the oxidation of hypoxanthine into xanthine and xanthine into uric acid. The enzyme plays a key role in the purine metabolic pathway. Despite the presence of different XODs in prokaryotes, the functional and structural knowledge of prokaryotic XODs remain limited (compared with their well-known eukaryotic counterparts), thereby hindering their biochemical analysis and industrial application. Using genetic and biochemical analyses, we identified and characterised recombinant XOD (CcXOD_AB) from Cellulosimicrobium cellulans ATCC21606. Bioinformatics analysis suggests that CcXOD_AB shares low amino acid sequence identities with other XODs. The purified enzyme exhibits the maximum activity at 55 °C and pH 8.0. In addition, CcXOD_AB exhibits moderate thermostability and retains 80.65 % of the original activity after 30 min of incubation at 60 °C. Ca^{2 +} has a slight inhibitory effect, whereas Co^{2 +} and Mn^{2 +} have a strong inhibitory effect on XOD_AB activity. In particular, low Ba²⁺ and Mg^{2 +} concentrations have no effect, whereas high Mg^{2 +} (≥10 mM) and Ba²⁺ (≥2 mM) concentrations show an inhibitory effect on enzyme activity. The K_m and V_max values for xanthine are 131.29 ± 11.09 μmol•L⁻¹ and 15.23 ± 0.65 μmol•L^-1 min⁻¹, respectively. Results indicate that CcXOD_AB is a novel enzyme with potential industrial application.     

Mutagenesis of nitrite reductase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa: tyrosine-10 in the c heme domain is not involved in catalysis

In Pseudomonas aeruginosa, conversion of nitrite to NO in dissimilatory denitrification is catalyzed by the enzyme nitrite reductase (NiR), a homodimer containing a covalently bound c heme and a d₁ heme per subunit. We report the purification and characterization of the first single mutant of P. aeruginosa cd₁ NiR in which Tyr¹⁰ has been replaced by Phe; this amino acid was chosen as a possibly important residue in the catalytic mechanism of this enzyme based on the proposal (Fülöp, V., Moir, J.W.B., Ferguson, S.J. and Hajdu, J. (1995) Cell 81, 369–377) that the topologically homologous Tyr²⁵ plays a crucial role in controlling the activity of the cd₁ NiR from Thiosphaera pantotropha. Our results show that in P. aeruginosa NiR substitution of Tyr¹⁰ with Phe has no effect on the activity, optical spectroscopy and electron transfer kinetics of the enzyme, indicating that distal coordination of the Fe³⁺ of the d₁ heme is provided by different side-chains in different species.     

Partial purification of the NADPH-dependent aldehyde reductase from bovine cardiac muscle.

An aldehyde reductase catalyzing the NADPH-dependent reduction of long-chain aldehydes has been purified 690-fold from bovine cardiac muscle. Based on the results obtained during gel filtration, this enzyme has an apparent molecular weight of 34,000. The pI of the aldehyde reductase was 6.1 and the enzymatic activity had a sharp pH optimum at 6.4. The enzyme catalyzed the reduction of aromatic aldehydes and aliphatic aldehydes having eight or more carbon atoms. Short-chain aldehydes, aldoses, or ketoses or long-chain methyl ketones were not utilized as substrates by this enzyme. However, the methyl ketone, pentadecan-2-one, was a competitive inhibitor of this enzyme with an apparent K_i = 10 μm when tetradecanal was the variable substrate. The reaction was not reversible when ethanol or hexadecanol was employed as substrate, utilizing either NAD⁺, or NADP⁺ as a cofactor. The addition of 10 mm pyrazole to the incubation medium had no effect on the enzymatic activity.     

Reduced nicotinamide-adenine-dinucleotide-pyrophosphorylase: A novel enzyme in seeds

An enzyme which splits reduced NAD has been partially purified from pea (Pisum sativum, Kelvedon Wonder) seeds. The activity requires orthophosphate and the products are ADP and probably NMN (dihydro NMN?). The enzyme splits the NADH₂ at the pyrophosphate bond and incorporates the phosphate into the AMP residue. NAD, NADP or NADPH₂ could not replace NADH₂. The enzyme is unstable during storage, is activated by Mg²⁺ and by Mn²⁺, and inhibited by Ca²⁺. K⁺, Li⁺ and NH₄⁺ have no effect. The possible role of this enzyme in the synthesis of ATP in seeds at the early stage of germination is discussed.     

Lunularic acid decarboxylase from the liverwort Conocephalum conicum

Some properties of a preparation of an enzyme, lunularic acid decarboxylase, from the liverwort Conocephalum conicum are described. The enzyme is normally bound and could be solubilized with Triton X-100; at least some of the bound decarboxylase activity appears to be associated with chloroplasts. For lunularic acid the enzyme has K_m 8.7 × 10^?5 M (pH 7.8 and 30°). Some substrate analogues have been tested but no other substrate was found. Pinosylvic acid is a competitive inhibitor for the enzyme, K_i 1.2 × 10^?4 M (pH 7.8 and 30°). No product inhibition was observed. Lunularic acid decarboxylase activity has also been observed with a cell-free system from Lunularia cruciata.     

Purification and properties of methylmalonyl coenzyme A mutase from human liver

Methylmalonyl coenzyme A (CoA) mutase has been purified to apparent homogeneity from human liver by a procedure involving column chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, Matrex-Gel Blue A, hydroxylapatite, and Sephadex G-150. The overall purification achieved is 500- to 600-fold, yield 3–5%. Electrophoresis of the native purified protein on nondenaturing polyacrylamide gels shows a single diffuse band coincident with the enzyme activity; dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gels show a single protein band with an apparent molecular weight of 77,500. The native protein has a molecular weight of approximately 150,000 by Sephadex G-150 chromatography, suggesting that it is composed of two identical subunits. The activity of the purified enzyme is stimulated only slightly (10–20%) by the addition of its cofactor, adenosylcobalamin, indicating that the purified enzyme is largely saturated with coenzyme. The spectrum of the enzyme is consistent with the presence of about 1 mole of adenosylcobalamin per mole of subunit. The enzyme displays complex kinetics with respect to dl-methylmalonyl CoA; substrate inhibition by l-methylmalonyl CoA appears to occur. The enzyme activity is stimulated by polyvalent anions (PO₄^3? > SO₄^2? > Cl^?); monovalent cations are without effect, but high concentrations of divalent cations are inhibitory. The enzyme activity is insensitive to N-ethylmaleimide, is rapidly destroyed at temperatures > 50 °C, and shows a broad pH optimum around pH 7.5.     

Cobra venom phospholipase A2 immobilized to porocus glass beads.

Phospholipase A₂ (EC 3.1.1.4) from cobra venom (Naja naja naja) has been covalently immobilized to aryl amine porous glass beads by diazo coupling. The attachment of the enzyme to the glass beads is apparently through tyrosine. The activity of the immobilized enzyme toward phospholipid substrate has been monitored using the Triton X-100/phospholipid mixed micelle assay system. The activity of the immobilized phospholipase A₂ toward phosphatidylcholine is about 160 μmol min^?1 ml^?1 of glass beads, and the specific activity is about 13 μmol min^?1 mg^?1 of protein in this assay system. The pH rate profile and apparent pK_a in 10 mm Ca²⁺ of the immobilized enzyme parallels that of the soluble enzyme. The substrate specificity of the immobilized enzyme toward individual phospholipid species in mixed micelles is phosphatidylcholine ? phosphatidylethanolamine. In binary lipid mixtures in mixed micelles containing phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine together, a reversal in specificity is observed, and phosphatidylethanolamine is the preferred substrate. This unusual specificity reversal in binary mixtures is also observed for the soluble enzyme. The activity of the immobilized enzyme toward phospholipid inserted in mixed micelles is the same as toward a synthetic phospholipid which forms monomers, while a 20-fold decrease in activity toward monomeric substrate is observed for the soluble enzyme. The immobilized enzyme is stable at temperatures of 90 °C as is the soluble enzyme. However, p-bromphenacyl bromide, a reagent which inactivates the soluble enzyme, does not inactivate the immobilized enzyme. The immobilized enzyme can be stored frozen for several months and is reusable. The mechanism of action of immobilized phospholipase A₂ from cobra venom and the potential usefullness of the bound enzyme as a probe for phospholipids in surfaces of membranes is considered.     

Purification and properties of Escherichia coli coenzyme A-transferase

The acetyl-CoA:acetoacetate-CoA-transferase has been purified 36-fold to homogeneity from an acetoacetate degradation operon (ato) constitutive mutant of Escherichia coli. The enzyme has the following physical properties: Stokes radius, 40.5 Å; diffusion coefficient (D₂₀,w), 5.32 × 10^?7 cm s^?1; sedimentation coefficient (s₂₀,w), 5.38S; molecular weight, 97,000 and a frictional ratio ($\text{f}\text{f}{}_0$) of 1.35. The enzyme is composed of two α subunits (M_r = 26,000) and two β subunits (M_r = 23,000). E. coli CoA-transferase contains six cysteine residues per mole of enzyme and no disulfide bonds. The native transferase reacts with 4 mol of p-chloromercuribenzoate per 97,000 g of enzyme. Two cysteine residues react rapidly with p-chloromercuribenzoate resulting in an 85% inactivation of enzyme activity. The reactivity of these two residues is enhanced at least fivefold in the presence of acetyl-CoA. Acetoacetate has no effect on the rate of reaction of p-chloromercuribenzoate with the enzyme. E. coli CoA-transferase is partially inactivated by acyl-CoA substrates in the absence of carboxylic acid substrates, presumably as the result of a metal-catalyzed acylation of the ?-amino group of a lysine residue near the active site. The enzyme utilizes a variety of short chain acyl-CoA and carboxylic acid substrates but exhibits maximal activity with normal and 3-keto substrates.     

The purification and kinetic properties of biophosphoglycerate synthase from horse red blood cells.

Bisphosphoglycerate synthase from horse red cells has been purified to apparent homogeneity by a simple and efficient new procedure incorporating chromatography on a column of Sepharose 4B derivatized with blue dextran. The enzyme is similar to the human red cell synthase in subunit size. It is phosphorylated by either glycerate-1,3-P₂ or glycerate-2,3-P₂ to form a phosphoenzyme with the acid-lability of a histidyl phosphate. In addition to the synthase activity (glycerate-1,3-P₂ → glycerate-2,3-P₂), k_cat 12.5 s^?1, the enzyme has bisphosphoglycerate phosphatase activity in the presence of glycolate-2-P (glycerate-2,3-P₂ → glycerate-P + P_i), k_cat 2.6 s^?1 and phosphoglycerate mutase activity (3-PGA ? 2-PGA), k_cat 1.7 s^?1. The energy of activation for the synthase reaction is 9.38 kcal/mol. Lineweaver-Burk plots of the kinetic data are parallel lines. In contrast intersecting patterns were obtained from similar experiments done with the human red cell enzyme. Further investigation is required to explain these differences. This enzyme may function as both synthase and phosphatase for bisphosphoglycerate in the red blood cell.     

Purification and Characterization of a Cation-stimulated Adenosine Triphosphatase from Corn Roots

A membrane-bound, monovalent cation-stimulated ATPase from Zea mays roots has been purified to a single band on sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis. Microsomal preparations with K⁺ -stimulated ATPase activity were extracted with 1 m NaClO₄, and the solubilized enzyme was purified by chromatography on columns of n-hexyl-Sepharose, DEAE-cellulose, and Sephadex G-100 Superfine. A 500-fold purification over the activity present in the microsomes was obtained. The K⁺ -stimulated activity shows positive cooperativity with increasing KCl concentrations. The purified enzyme shows K⁺ -stimulated activity with ATP, GTP, UTP, CTP, ADP, α + β-glycerophosphate, p-nitrophenyl phosphate, and pyrophosphate as substrates. Under most conditions ATP is the best substrate. Although dicyclohexyl carbodiimide and Ca²⁺ inhibit and alkylguanidines stimulate the K⁺ -ATPase while bound to microsomes, they have no effect on the purified enzyme.     

Affinity labelling of rat liver acetyl-CoA car☐ylase by a 2′,3′-dialdehyde derivative of ATP

The interaction of rat liver acetyl-CoA car☐ylase with a 2′,3′-dialdehyde derivative of ATP (oATP) has been studied. The degree of the enzyme inactivation has been found to depend on the oATP concentration and the incubation time. ATP was proved to be the only substrate which protected the inactivation. Acetyl-CoA did not effect inactivation, while HCO₃⁻ accelerated the process. K_i values for oATP in the absence and presence of HCO₃⁻ were 0.35 ± 0.04 and 0.5 ± 0.06 mM , and those of the modification constant (k_mod) were 0.11 and 0.26 min⁻¹ respectively. oATP completely inhibited the [¹⁴C]ADP ⇌ ATP exchange and did not effect the [¹⁴C]acetyl-CoA ⇌ malonyl-CoA exchange. Incorporation of ∼1 equivalent of [³H]oATP per acetyl-CoA car☐ylase subunit has been shown. No recovery of the modified enzyme activity has been observed in Tris or β-mercaptoethanol containing buffers, and treatment with NaB³H₄ has not led to³H incorporation. The modification elimination of the ATP triphosphate chain. The results indicated the affinity modification of acetyl-CoA car☐ylase by oATP. It was shown that the reagent apparently interacted selectively with the ɛ-amino group of lysine in the ATP-binding site to form a morpholine-like structure.     

Effect of hormonal and neuronal agents on adenylate cyclase from smooth muscle of the gastric antrum

Smooth muscle adenylate cyclase of a membrane preparation of canine gastric antrum has been characterized, and the effect of hormonal and neuronal agents examined. The enzyme is active in the presence of Mg²⁺ or Mn²⁺, but is inhibited by Ca²⁺. The K_m is 0.5 mM ATP, similar to the K_m of skeletal muscle adenylate cyclase. The enzyme is activated by isoproterenol but not norepinephrine, consistent with a β₂-catecholamine receptor-adenylate cyclase interaction. Secretin activates the enzyme in concentrations as low as 1 · 10^?11 M, while glucagon was effective only at 1 · 10^?6 M. Prostaglandin E₁ and E₂ have a biphasic effect with activation of adenylate cyclase at 1 · 10^?5 M and a small but significant inhibition of enzyme activity at 1 · 10^?11 M.     

Synthesis of p-trifluoroacetamidophenyl O-α-D-galactopyranosyl-(1→2)-O-α-D-mannopyranosyl-(1→4)-α-L-rhamnopyranoside

The role of exposed tyrosine side-chains in enzyme-catalysed reactions has been studied for porcine-pancreatic alpha-amylase, sweet-potato beta-amylase, and Aspergillus niger glucamylase using N-acetylimidazole as the specific protein reagent. The changes in activity binding affinity (Δk_?1/k₊₁), and kinetic parameters (K_m,k₂) due to acetylation of the phenolic hydroxyl groups have been determined. Acetylation of each enzyme occurred by an “apparent” first-order reaction with a rate constant of 0.72–1.4 x 10^?1min^?1. Acetylation increased the apparent K_m (soluble starch as the substrate) for each enzyme (appreciably for alpha-amylase and glucamylase), whereas k² remained unchanged. Similarly, for each enzyme, the binding affinity for immobilised cyclohexa-amylose decreased appreciably, whereas the catalytic activity was reduced only to a small degree (and remained unchanged for beta-amylase). It is concluded that the tyrosine groups located in the active centre of each enzyme have a substrate-binding function.     

Na(+)-ATPase and protein kinase C are targets to 1-O-hexadecylphosphocoline (miltefosine) in Trypanosoma cruzi

Miltefosine has been shown to be a very active compound against Trypanosoma cruzi. Here, we evaluated the effects of miltefosine on the activity of the Na⁺-ATPase and protein kinase C (PKC) present in the plasma membrane of T. cruzi. Furosemide (2 mM), a specific inhibitor of Na⁺-ATPase, abolished the growth of T. cruzi showing a crucial role of this enzyme to parasite growth. Miltefosine inhibited the Na⁺-ATPase activity with IC₅₀ = 18 ± 5 μg mL⁻¹. This effect was shown to be reversible, dependent on the pH and Ca²⁺. The inhibition was not observed when the membranes were solubilized with 0.1% deoxycholate, suggesting that the interaction between the enzyme and membrane phospholipids might be important for the drug effect. Miltefosine also inhibited the parasite PKC activity, but through a Na⁺-ATPase-independent way. Altogether the results indicate that miltefosine inhibits T. cruzi growth through, at least in part, the inhibition of both Na⁺-ATPase and PKC activities.     

Extraction and partial characterization of the glycine decarboxylase multienzyme complex from pea leaf mitochondria

Glycine decarboxylase has been successfully solubilized from pea (Pisum sativum) leaf mitochondria as an acetone powder. The enzyme was dependent on added dithiothreitol and pyridoxal phosphate for maximal activity. The enzyme preparation could catalyze the exchange of CO₂ into the carboxyl carbon of glycine, the reverse of the glycine decarboxylase reaction by converting serine, NH₄⁺, and CO₂ into glycine, and ¹⁴CO₂ release from [1-¹⁴C]glycine. The half-maximal concentrations for the glycine-bicarbonate exchange reaction were 1.7 millimolar glycine, 16 millimolar NaH¹⁴CO₂, and 0.006 millimolar pyridoxal phosphate. The enzyme (glycine-bicarbonate exchange reaction) was active in the assay conditions for 1 hour and could be stored for over 1 month. The enzymic mechanism appeared similar to that reported for the enzyme from animals and bacteria but some quantitative differences were noted. These included the tenacity of binding to the mitochondrial membrane, the concentration of pyridoxal phosphate needed for maximum activity, the requirement for dithiothreitol for maximum activity, and the total amount of activity present. Now that this enzyme has been solubilized, a more detailed understanding of this important step in photorespiration should be possible.     

Isolation and characterization of the polyphenoloxidase from senescent leaves of black poplar

The polyphenoloxidase (PPO) from black poplar senescent leaves has been purified to almost complete homogeneity by a combination of ammonium sulphate precipitation, Sephadex G75 filtration and DEAE-cellulose chromatography. The purified enzyme has a MW of 60 000 and is probably a Cu⁺ enzyme. Peroxidase (PO) activity co-purifies with PPO and has the same MW as it. The two enzymes differ in pH optimum and in response to the effect of ionic strength. Natural phenols are either substrates, inhibitors or activators of black poplar PPO. This enzyme is an o-diphenoloxidase which binds substrates with K_m in the millimolar range. With caffeic and chlorogenic acids inhibition by excess substrate is observed. Benzoic acid phenols and cinnamic acid phenols are either competitive or non-competitive inhibitors of PPO. Hydroquinone is a highly potent non-competitive inhibitor of the enzyme (K_i  90 μM). Ferulic acid is a potent activator of the PPO-catalysed oxidation of catechol (K_a  0.34 mM, ν_sat/ν_o  7.7).     

Trypanosoma cruzi phospho enol pyruvate carboxykinase (ATP-dependent) : transition metal ion requirement for activity and sulfhydryl group reactivity

We studied the transition metal ion requirements for activity and sulfhydryl group reactivity in phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEP-carboxykinase; ATP:oxaloacetate carboxylase (transphosphorylating), EC 4.1.1.49), a key enzyme in the energy metabolism of the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma (Schizotrypanum) cruzi. As for other PEP-carboxykinases this enzyme has a strict requirement of transition metal ions for activity, even in the presence of excess Mg²⁺ ions for the carboxylation reaction; the order of effectiveness of these ions as enzyme activators was: Co²⁺ > Mn²⁺ > Cd^u2+ > Ni²⁺ ⪢ Fe²⁺ > VO²⁺, while Zn²⁺ and Ca²⁺ had no activating effects. When we investigated the effect of varying the type or concentration of the transition metal ions on the kinetic parameters of the enzyme the results suggested that the stimulatory effects of the transition metal center were mostly associated with the activation of the relatively inert CO₂ substrate. The inhibitory effects of 3-mercaptopicolinic acid (3MP) on the enzyme were found to depend on the transition metal ion activator: for the Mn²⁺ activated enzyme the inhibition was purely non-competitive (K_ii = K_is) towards all substrates, while for the Co²⁺-activated enzyme the inhibitor was much less effective, produced a mixed-type inhibition and affected differentially the interaction of the enzyme with its substrates. The modification of a single, highly reactive, cysteine per enzyme molecule by 5,5′-dithiobis(2-nitro-benzoate) (DTNB) lead to an almost complete inhibition of Mn²⁺-activated T. cruzi PEP-carboxykinase; however, in contrast with the results of previous studies in vertebrate and yeast enzymes, the substrate ADP slowed the chemical modification and enzyme inactivation but did not prevent it. PEP and HCO₃⁻ had no significant effect on the rate or extent of the enzyme inactivation. The kinetics of the enzyme inactivation by DTNB was also dependent on the transition metal activator, being much slower for the Co²⁺-activated enzyme than for its Mn²⁺-activated counterpart. When the bulkier but more hydrophobic reagent N-(7-dimethylamino-4-methylcoumarinyl)maleimide (DACM) was used the enzyme was slowly and incompletely inactivated in the presence of Mn²⁺ and ADP afforded almost complete protection from inactivation; in the presence of Co²⁺ the enzyme was completely resistant to inactivation. Taken together, our results indicate that the parasite enzyme has a specific requirement of transition metal ions for activity and that they modulate the reactivity of a single, essential thiol group, different from the hyperreactive cysteines present in vertebrate or yeast enzymes.     

A microsomal ATP-activated pyridine nucleotide transhydrogenase

An ATP-activated transhydrogenase which catalyzes the reduction of TPN⁺ by DPNH has been demonstrated in the microsomal fraction from the endosperm of immature Echinocystis macrocarpa seeds. The activity is specifically dependent on the presence of ATP (K_m of approximately 0.1 mm) of several nucleotides tested. The reaction is stimulated by MgCl₂ addition up to concentrations of 6 mm. When 10^?2m EDTA is added to the assay mixture in the absence of added MgCl₂, a transhydrogenation reaction is observed which no longer shows any dependence on added ATP. A TPN⁺-dependent ATPase activity can be demonstrated in these preparations, but no fixed stoichiometry between ATP cleavage and TPNH formation could be established. A lag in attaining the maximal rate of transhydrogenation is seen unless the enzyme is preincubated for 10 min with ATP before initiating the reaction. It can further be shown that preincubation of the enzyme with ATP followed by removal of the ATP on a Dowex 1 column produces an enzyme capable of catalyzing the transhydrogenation without the further addition of ATP. 2,4-Dinitrophenol and thyroxin are effective inhibitors of the transhydrogenase and 2,4-dinitrophenol was shown to inhibit the activating effect of ATP during the preincubation period. It is concluded that the role of ATP is in the modification of the enzyme rather than direct participation in the transhydrogenation. The transhydrogenase is inhibited by ADP and AMP. This results in a response of the enzyme to adenylate energy charge in a manner characteristic for regulatory enzymes which participate in ATP-utilizing metabolic sequences.     

Purification and Some Biological Properties of Asparaginase from Azotobacter vinelandii

Asparaginase was found in the soluble fraction of cells of Azotobacter vinelandii, and its activity remained the same during growth of the organism in a nitrogen-free medium. The specific activity and the yield of A. vinelandii increased twofold in the presence of ammonium sulfate. Within limits, the temperature (30 to 37°C) and pH (6.5 to 8.0) of the medium showed little effect on the levels of enzyme activity. The enzyme was purified to near homogeneity by standard methods of enzyme purification, including affinity chromatography, and had optimum activity at pH 8.6 and 48°C. The approximate molecular weight was 84,000. The apparent K_m value for the substrate was 1.1 × 10^-4 M. Metal ions or sulfhydryl reagents were not required for enzyme activity. Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, and Hg²⁺ showed concentration-dependent inhibition, whereas amino and keto acids had no effect on the enzyme activity. Asparaginase was stable when incubated with rat serum and ascites fluid. The enzyme had no effect on the membrane of sheep erythrocytes and did not inhibit the incorporation of radioactive precursors into deoxyribonucleic acid, ribonucleic acid, and protein in Yoshida ascites sarcoma cells. Asparaginase activity was not detected in the tumor cells.