Fractionation of Jerusalem artichoke phenolase by immobilized copper affinity chromatography

Phenolase from tubers of Jerusalem artichoke was fractionated by metal chelate affinity chromatography using copper conjugated to iminodiacetic acid Sepharose 6B. Four fractions obtained after chromatography showed various specific activities, with an increase in activity of 160-fold for the first unbound enzymatic fraction, and 18-fold for a fraction eluted with glycine buffer. Electrophoresis of phenolase fractions in gradient polyacrylamide gel resulted in a pattern consisting of three major groups of bands differing in relative mobilities.     

In Vitro and In Vivo Characterization of Pyocin

Pyocin, a bacteriocin obtained from lysates of ultraviolet-induced cultures of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was characterized in vitro and in vivo after 1,000-fold purification by chemical, column, and differential centrifugation procedures. Electron micrographs of negatively stained pyocin preparations contained rod-shaped particles which resembled the contractile tail protein of the T-even phages of Escherichia coli. Although two separate and distinct pyocin fractions were eluted from diethylaminoethyl cellulose (pH 7.5) during the purification procedure, the particles appeared identical. In addition, the two fractions exhibited a close correlation between their titers and the particle numbers as observed in the electron microscope. The particles were approximately 20 by 90 mmu with a core diameter of 5 mmu and a sheath length of 50 mmu. Neither intact phage nor ghosts were seen in any of the preparations, although ringlets of two different diameters, which appeared to correspond to the diameters of the sheath and inner core, were observed. Other studies indicated that, although crude preparations were stable to freezing and thawing, purified preparations lost all of their activity under similar treatment. However, the addition of 50% glycerol to purified preparations completely protected activity. Conversely, aged normal human or rabbit sera enhanced the antibacterial activity of pyocin approximately fourfold, although serum albumin and hemoglobin had no effect. In vivo studies indicated that purified pyocin was not lethal for mice when injected intraperitoneally in concentrations of 28,000 to 1,400,000 units (5.6 to 276 mug of protein), nor was 7,200 to 36,000 units dermonecrotic for rabbits.     

Metabolism of Pipecolic Acid in a Pseudomonas Species IV. Electron Transport Particle of Pseudomonas putida

Baginsky, Marietta L. (University of California, San Francisco Medical Center, San Francisco), and Victor W. Rodwell. Metabolism of pipecolic acid in a Pseudomonas species. IV. Electron transport particle of Pseudomonas putida. J. Bacteriol. 92:424-432. 1966.-Enzymes of Pseudomonas putida P2 catalyzing oxidation of pipecolate to Delta(1)-piperideine-6-carboxylate are located in a subcellular fraction sedimenting at 105,000 x g. Since this fraction resembles the mammalian electron transport particle in both chemical composition and enzymatic activities, it was termed Pseudomonas P2 electron transport particle (P2-ETP). P2-ETP contains flavin adenine dinucleotide, flavin mononucleotide, iron, copper, and both b- and c-type cytochromes. The reduced type b cytochrome has absorption maxima at 558 to 559, 530, and 427 mmu. Its oxidized pyridine hemochromogen has an absorption maximum at 406 mmu, with a shoulder at 564 mmu. On dithionite reduction, absorption bands with maxima at 556, 522, and 418 mmu are obtained. The reduced type c cytochrome has absorption maxima at 552, 520, and 422 mmu; its reduced pyridine hemochromogen has maxima at 551, 516 to 519, and 418 mmu. No type a cytochrome was detected. P2-ETP catalyzes oxidation of pipecolate and of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH(2)) by oxygen. It can also oxidize these compounds, as well as succinate and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate, with 2,6-dichlorophenol-indophenol as electron acceptor. Mammalian cytochrome c can be used as an alternate artificial electron acceptor for the oxidation of pipecolate and succinate, but not for oxidation of NADH(2).     

Purification of the major protein-tyrosine-phosphatases of human placenta

This report describes the purification of the major protein-tyrosine-phosphatases from human placenta. Enzyme activity was followed with a novel artificial substrate, namely reduced, carboxamidomethylated, and maleylated lysozyme, phosphorylated on tyrosine by a partially purified preparation of insulin and epidermal growth factor receptor kinases, also from human placenta. The key step in the purification of the protein-tyrosine-phosphatases was affinity chromatography on a column of thiophosphorylated, reduced, carboxamidomethylated, and maleylated lysozyme-Sepharose. Purification was carried out separately from both the soluble and particulate fractions. Whereas multiple and distinct enzyme forms were obtained from each of these, little difference could be detected between the behavior of the "soluble" enzyme subtypes and their "particulate" counterparts. The major subtypes were purified to apparent homogeneity with an approximately 23,000-fold enrichment and 10% yield from the soluble fraction and a 4,300-fold enrichment and 13% yield from the particulate fraction. Both samples migrated as bands of 35 kDa on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and had specific activities of approximately 45,000 nmol of Pi released min-1 mg-1, at least 2-3-fold higher than that of the type 1 and 2A serine/threonine phosphatases. The level of protein-tyrosine-phosphatases in the soluble fraction of human placenta (2,000 units/g of protein) was approximately the same as protein-serine/threonine-phosphatases 1 and 2A in skeletal muscle.     

Insecticidal activities of secondary metabolites of endophytic Pencillium sp. in Derris elliptica Benth

Abstract:  A strain of endophytic Pencillium sp., which might produce rotenone or its analogues and showed bioactivity against aphids, was isolated from the fresh roots of Derris elliptica Benth. A total of 12 fractions, isolated from the chloroform extract of endophytic Pencillium sp. mycelia by silica gel column, were tested by bioassay and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and the more bioactive fractions were found to be D, E and J. Against the adult turnip aphid, Lipaphis erysimi , by dipping at a concentration of 1 mg/ml, the corrected mortalities of fraction D, E and J were 57.68, 63.28 and 69.74% after 48 h of treatment respectively. The three fractions also showed strong antifeeding activity against third instar larvae of Plutella xylostella in a laboratory bioassay. One absorption peak was detected in the HPLC picture of fraction D, it had a similar retention time as that of rotenone, and the chemical constituent, related to the absoption peak, had the same ultraviolet absorption picture as that of rotenone. Then it could be further concluded that the bioactive compounds in the fraction D could be rotenone or its analogous compounds.     

The effect of 4-dimethylamino-3′-methylazobenzene on 14C-labelled amino acid incorporation by rat-liver polysome preparations

1. The incorporation of (14)C-labelled amino acids into polysomal protein was studied in a system consisting of polysomes and pH5 enzyme obtained 4 and 40hr. after a single intraperitoneal injection of 4-dimethylamino-3'-methylazobenzene. Labelling of the polysome fraction of preparations of both the 4hr.-treated and 40hr.-treated rats was considerably higher than in the normal control. 2. In further experiments on protein synthesis by polysomes from azo-dye-treated rats, the effect of replacing pH5 enzyme with cell sap was studied. Incorporation of (14)C-labelled amino acids into polysomal protein was similar to that of the control. 3. Aggregate size of polysomes obtained from rats injected previously with 4-dimethylamino-3'-methylazobenzene was studied by sucrose-gradient centrifugation. Polysomes prepared at 4hr. after azo-dye administration contained a considerable amount of large aggregates (approx. 700s), whereas at 40hr. after administration of the azo-dye the amount of large aggregates was less than in the control. 4. Determination of the ultraviolet spectra of polysome preparations from both normal and azo-dye-treated rats revealed no difference between the preparations. On the other hand, the ultraviolet spectra of cell-sap fractions from the different preparations showed that there is a definite shift in the absorption maximum from 272mmu (normal) to 267mmu, 40hr. after treatment, with an intermediate value of 270mmu for the preparation from 4hr.-treated rats. The absorption minimum changes from 250mmu (normal) to 245mmu for the preparation from 40hr.-treated rats.     

Purification and characterization of two plasma membrane domains from ejaculated bull spermatozoa

Plasma membranes were detached from ejaculated bull spermatozoa by a brief sonication in a moderately hypotonic medium, and the released plasma membranes were partially purified by differential centrifugation. The resulting fraction was enriched 8- and 15-fold in alkaline phosphatase and 5' nucleotidase activities, respectively, compared with the starting sonicated spermatozoa. This total plasma membrane fraction was separated into two distinct fractions by equilibrium density centrifugation on a continuous linear sucrose gradient. Two peaks of light scattering material were formed at densities of 1.117 and 1.148 g/ml. The denser peak contained most of the protein of the plasma membrane fraction, whereas nearly all the concanavalin A binding activity was found in the lighter peak. The two bands had distinctly different polypeptide compositions when analyzed by SDS PAGE. Polyclonal antibodies were raised in rabbits against a major integral membrane glycoprotein of each fraction (Mr of 92,000 in the light peak and 98,000 in the dense peak). The two antigens were detected on the surface of intact spermatozoa by indirect immunofluorescence microscopy. The 92-kD protein (present in the lighter band) was detected only on the plasma membrane of the acrosomal and anterior postacrosomal regions of the head. The 98-kD antigen, present in the heavier band, was localized to the surface of the postacrosomal region of the head, to the principal piece of the tail, and to the connecting piece between the head and tail. The exclusive localization of the 92-kD polypeptide to the surface of the anterior portion of the head was confirmed by immunoelectron microscopy. These data show that the two fractions isolated on the sucrose gradient originate from different regions of the sperm cell plasma membrane.     

Phosphotyrosyl-protein phosphatase of TCRC-2 cells

Homogenization of TCRC-2 cells yielded a phosphotyrosyl-protein phosphatase with a specific activity approximately 10-=fold higher in particulate than in soluble fractions. Over 90% of the phosphotyrosyl-protein phosphatase associated with the particles was solubilized with 1.0% Nonidet P-40. Chromatography of the detergent-solubilized particulate fraction on either wheat germ lectin-Sepharose or histone-Sepharose columns separated two major components of phosphatase activity. One peak (eluted with 200 mM NaCl from histone-Sepharose or with N-acetylglucosamine from the lectin column) contained both phosphotyrosyl- and phosphoseryl-protein phosphatase as well as p-nitrophenyl phosphatase activities. The other peak (eluted with 1.0 M NaCl from histone-Sepharose or not bound to the lectin column) contained essentially only phosphoseryl-protein phosphatase activity. Various agents (EDTA, p-nitrophenyl phosphate, fluoride) showed considerable differences in their ability to inhibit the two phosphatase fractions; of these, the most potent and selective inhibitor was orthovanadate. At micromolar concentrations, vanadate inhibited the fraction containing phosphotyrosyl-protein phosphatase and failed to inhibit the fraction containing only phosphoseryl-protein phosphatase activity. These data show that the particulate forms of phosphotyrosyl-protein phosphatase and p-nitrophenyl phosphatase represent the activities of very similar or identical proteins.     

Cytochromes of aquatic fungi

The cytochrome systems of two classes of aquatic fungi, the Oomycetes and Chytridiomycetes, were studied by means of reduced-minus-oxidized difference spectra at room and at low temperature. At room temperature, all of these fungi have a c-type cytochrome with an absorption maximum at 551 mmu and a b-type cytochrome at 564 mmu. The Oomycetes have a-type cytochromes at 605 mmu, and the Chytridiomycetes have a-type cytochromes at 606 mmu (Blastocladiales) or at 609 mmu (Monoblepharidales). Additional b-type cytochromes are found at 557 mmu in the Oomycetes and at approximately 560 mmu in the Chytridiomycetes. The data obtained from spectra at low temperature are consistent with these conclusions. Thus, the difference spectra reveal variation between the cytochrome systems of these two classes of aquatic fungi.     

Subcellular structure of bovine thyroid gland. The localization of the peroxidase activity in bovine thyroid.

1. After differential pelleting of bovine thyroid tissue the highest relative specific activities for plasma membrane markers are found in the L fraction whereas those for peroxidase activities (p-phenylenediamine, guaiacol and 3,3'-diaminobenizidine tetrachloride peroxidases) are found in the M fraction. 2. When M + L fractions were subjected to buoyant-density equilibration in a HS zonal rotor all peroxidases show different profiles. The guaiacol peroxidase activity always follows the distribution of glucose 6-phosphatase. 3. When a Sb fraction is subjected to Sepharose 2B chromatography three major peaks are obtained. The first, eluted at the void volume, consists of membranous material and contains most of the guaiacol peroxidase activity. Most of the protein (probably thyroglobulin) is eluted with the second peak. Solubilized enzymes are recovered in the third peak. 4. p-Phenylenediamine peroxidase activity penetrates into the gel on polyacrylamidegel electrophoresis, whereas guaiacol peroxidase activity remains at the sample zone. 5. DEAE-Sephadex A-50 chromatography resolves the peroxidase activities into two peaks, displaying different relative amounts of the different enzymic activities in each peak. 6. The peroxidase activities may be due to the presence of different proteins. A localization of guaiacol peroxidase in rough-endoplasmic-reticulum membranes (or in membranes related to them) seems very likely.     

Human placental steryl-sulfatase. Enzyme purification, production of antisera, and immunoblotting reactions with normal and sulfatase-deficient placentas

The steryl-sulfatase of normal human placental microsomes was solubilized and enriched about 350-fold. Chromatography on Sepharose 6B of the purified enzyme preparation revealed a single protein peak which eluted according to an apparent molecular mass of 270 +/- 30 kDa; when electrophorized on sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel the sulfatase migrated according to a molecular mass of 64 +/- 4 kDa. Estrogensulfatase activity was co-purified with the steryl-sulfatase activity; obviously, both activities belong to the same enzyme species. The purified sulfatase was injected into three rabbits. Antisera produced by the rabbits yielded a single sharp immunoprecipitation line in Ouchterlony double diffusion experiments when tested with the isolated sulfatase or with a solubilized microsomal fraction of normal placentas. The activity of sulfatase preparations incubated with antiserum was precipitated by addition of polyethylene glycol followed by centrifugation; none of the antibodies reacting with the sulfatase therefore appeared to interfere with its enzymatic activity. Using these antisera, steryl-sulfatase protein could be detected by immunoblotting analysis in solubilized microsomal fractions of normal placentas but not in solubilized microsomal fractions of three steryl-sulfatase activity-deficient placentas. This finding argues in favour of human placental steryl-sulfatase deficiency being due to extremely diminished or absent enzyme protein in the placenta.     

Evaluation of the antibiotic activity of extracellular compounds produced by the Pseudomonas strain against the Xanthomonas citri pv. citri 306 strain

In this work, we evaluated the antibiotic activity of metabolites produced by the Pseudomonas sp. LV strain and their effects on the cell morphology of the Xanthomonas citri pv. citri 306 strain (Xcc 306), which causes citrus canker lesions. The LV strain was cultivated, centrifuged, a cell-free supernatant was treated with dichloromethane and then concentrated, frozen in liquid nitrogen and lyophilized. The dichloromethane phase (DP) was fractionated by vacuum liquid chromatography (VLC) using six organic solvents with a crescent polarity. The antibiotic activity of the DP and all the fractions from VLC were tested against Xcc 306 and only the F3 fraction showed antimicrobial activity. The antibiotic activity of F3 was determined by minimum inhibitory concentration and the action on the cell morphology of Xcc 306 carried out in glass tubes with cell suspensions plus F3 solution sampled at three different times (one, three and six hours). The effects were analyzed by electron microscopy. Both the DP and F3 showed antibiotic activity against Xcc 306 in in vitro experiments. Electron microscopy showed that the F3 fraction completely disrupted the cell integrity after six hours. In a greenhouse experiment, the DP and F3 fraction (highly effective in in vitro experiments), reduced the formation of lesions by approximately 80% and 94%, respectively.     

Concentration of acid phosphatase,ribonuclease, desoxyribonuclease,beta-glucuronidase,and cathepsin in droplets isolated from the kidney cells of normal rats

1. Three fractions of "droplets" having diameters of 1 to 5 micro (fraction I), 0.5 to 1.5 micro (fraction II), and 0.1 to 1.0 micro (fraction III) were isolated from the kidney cells of normal rats. 2. All three "droplet" fractions showed 10 to 15 times higher activities of acid phosphatase, beta-glucuronidase, ribonuclease, desoxyribonuclease, and cathepsin than the total homogenate and the mitochondrial fraction. 3. After a rough fractionation of the total homogenate, approximately 50 per cent of the 5 enzymes was found in the fractions which contained the "droplets" and approximately 30 per cent in the supernatant fluid. 4. The similarities between the enzymatic properties of the "droplets" from kidney cells and of the fractions isolated from liver cells by other investigators have been discussed.     

CONCENTRATION OF ACID PHOSPHATASE,RIBONUCLEASE, DESOXYRIBONUCLEASE, β-GLUCURONIDASE,AND CATHEPSIN IN "DROPLETS" ISOLATED FROM THE KIDNEY CELLS OF NORMAL RATS

1. Three fractions of "droplets" having diameters of 1 to 5 µ (fraction I), 0.5 to 1.5 µ (fraction II), and 0.1 to 1.0 µ (fraction III) were isolated from the kidney cells of normal rats. 2. All three "droplet" fractions showed 10 to 15 times higher activities of acid phosphatase, β-glucuronidase, ribonuclease, desoxyribonuclease, and cathepsin than the total homogenate and the mitochondrial fraction. 3. After a rough fractionation of the total homogenate, approximately 50 per cent of the 5 enzymes was found in the fractions which contained the "droplets" and approximately 30 per cent in the supernatant fluid. 4. The similarities between the enzymatic properties of the "droplets" from kidney cells and of the fractions isolated from liver cells by other investigators have been discussed.     

Immunoaffinity purification of Schistosoma mansoni soluble egg antigens

Schistosoma mansoni egg antigens were purified from a heterogeneous mixture of soluble egg antigens (crude SEA) with an immunoaffinity column that consisted of the specific anti-SEA antibodies contained in 16-week S. mansoni-infected mouse serum bound to Sepharose 4B. On sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) gel electrophoresis, the purified antigen fraction yielded at least eight bands staining with Coomassie blue and at least five bands staining with Coomaisse blue and at least five bands reacting with periodic acid-Schiff (PAS). All of the proteins in the antigenic fraction appear to contain carbohydrate residues. Upon immunoelectrophoresis the antigen yielded four precipitin arcs. The antigenic fraction isolated by means of the immunoaffinity column was then compared to various fractions obtained from concanavalin A (Con A) chromatography of SEA. The results of Ouchterlony immunodiffusion and immunoelectrophoresis indicate that the antigenic fraction isolated by immunoaffinity purification of SEA contains the major antigens found in the fractions obtained from Con A chromatography of SEA. The results of SDS gel electrophoresis indicate that the major PAS-reacting bands of the antigenic fraction isolated by immunoaffinity purification are found in the 3rd peak (bound fraction) resulting from Con A chromatography of SEA, whereas the major Coomaisse blue-staining band in the isolated antigenic fraction is found in the 2nd peak (unbound fraction) from Con A chromatography of SEA.     

Identification of Endogenous Calmodulin-Dependent Kinase and Calmodulin-Binding Proteins in Cold-Stable Microtubule Preparations from Rat Brain

Calmodulin-dependent kinase activity was investigated in cold-stable microtubule fractions. Calmodulin-dependent kinase activity was enriched approximately 20-fold over cytosol in cold-stable microtubule preparations. Calmodulin-dependent kinase activity in cold-stable microtubule preparations phosphorylated microtubule-associated protein-2, alpha- and beta-tubulin, an 80,000-dalton doublet, and several minor phosphoproteins. The endogenous calmodulin-dependent kinase in cold-stable microtubule fractions was identical to a previously purified calmodulin-dependent kinase from rat brain by several criteria including (1) subunit molecular weights, (2) subunit isoelectric points, (3) calmodulin-binding properties, (4) subunit autophosphorylation, (5) calmodulin-binding subunit composition on high-resolution sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, (6) isolation of kinase on calmodulin affinity resin, (7) kinetic parameters, (8) phosphoamino acid phosphorylation sites on beta-tubulin, and (9) phosphopeptide mapping. Endogenous cold-stable calmodulin-dependent kinase activity was isolated from the microtubule fraction by calmodulin affinity resin column chromatography and specifically eluted with EGTA. This kinase fraction contained the calmodulin-binding, autophosphorylating rho and sigma subunits of the previously purified kinase. The rho and sigma subunits of this kinase represented the major calmodulin-binding proteins in the cold-stable microtubule fractions as assessed by denaturing and non-denaturing procedures. These results indicate that calmodulin-dependent kinase is a major calmodulin-binding enzyme system in cold-stable microtubule fractions and may play an important role in mediating some of the effects of calcium on microtubule and cytoskeletal dynamics.     

Characterization of an antibiotic produced by Alteromonas luteoviolacea Gauthier 1982,85 isolated from Kinko Bay, Japan

An antibiotic produced by Alteromonas luteoviolacea strain 9K-V10 was recovered after cold acetone precipitation of culture supernatant fluids or lysates that had beenfrozen and thawed. The precipitate obtained from cell-free lysates was fractionated by DEAE ion-exchange chromatography. Further purification by gel-filtration chromatography yielded a single peak of antibiotic activity that corresponded to a protein peak with a molecular mass of approximately 100 kDa. After non-denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, antibiotic activity co-migrated with a protein band. The isoelectric point of the antibiotic was estimated to be 7·7. Treatment of the concentrated active fraction with proteinase K or heating at 70°C for 10 min resulted in total loss of antibiotic activity. These results show that the antibiotic produced by Alt. luteoviolacea 9K-V10 is of a proteinaceous nature.     

Comparative toxicity of the horse eosinophil peroxidase-H2O2-halide system and granule basic proteins

Stimulated eosinophils release cytotoxic granule constituents, including eosinophil peroxidase (EPO) and a group of granule basic proteins (GBP). EPO reacts with H2O2 formed by the respiratory burst and a halide to form cytotoxic oxidants. The relative potency of the EPO-H2O2-halide system and the GBP is considered here. Horse eosinophils were induced to degranulate, the degranulation products were separated by chromatography on Sephadex G-50 and comparable volumes of the column fractions were tested for toxicity to Escherichia coli and the schistosomula of Schistosoma mansoni in the presence and absence of H2O2 and halides. Both the EPO system and GBP were toxic. However, the peak EPO fraction could be diluted 1000-fold at pH 7.0 and 5000-fold at pH 5.0, and with a 10-fold dilution at pH 7.0 incubation time could be reduced to 5 s, with retention of bactericidal activity in the presence of H2O2 and halides, whereas the peak GBP fractions diluted 10-fold had a small bactericidal effect at 1 h which increased with prolongation of incubation to 24 h. A less than 1 log fall in E. coli viable cell count was produced by the GBP fractions under all conditions as compared to total destruction (greater than 5 log fall) with the EPO system. A 1000-fold dilution of the peak EPO fraction was schistosomulocidal in the presence of H2O2 and halides, with toxicity observed at 2 h with a 10-fold dilution. In contrast, no schistosomulocidal activity was observed at 18 h with a 10-fold dilution of the GBP fractions. However, toxicity was observed with a 5- or 50-fold increase in GBP concentration with maximum toxicity observed with fractions between the two major protein peaks. Thus, under the conditions employed, the EPO-H2O2-halide system contributed to a considerably greater degree to the toxic activity of the granule components than did the GBP.     

Partial purification of chlorophyll degrading enzymes from cavendish banana (Musa Cavendishi)

Cavendish banana (Musa Cavendishi, subgroup AAA) remains green upon ripening at tropical temperature (25-30 degrees C), due to incomplete degradation of chlorophyll (Chl). Earlier, evidence for the existence of two distinct degradative pathways--chlorophyllase and chlorophyll oxidase pathways in these bananas was provided. Here, an attempt has been made to understand further the mechanism of inhibition of Chl degradation at different stages of ripening and detecting various enzyme activities by partial purification. Soluble and Triton-solubilized protein fractions obtained from peel acetone powder from green-unripe, green-ripe and yellow-ripe bananas efficiently degraded Chl a. About 2-fold increase in Chl hydrolyzing/oxidizing and magnesium-dechelatase activities was observed in ripe, as compared to green-unripe bananas. The electrophoretic pattern of the soluble and detergent-solubilized proteins from the three stages of ripening revealed that the latter fraction contained only three slow moving proteins, which were found to be glycoproteins, as revealed in PAS staining. The soluble enzyme fraction contained all other bands along with the above three bands, as observed in the Native-PAGE of DEAE-Sepharose purified fractions. Only soluble fraction from 'green-ripe' bananas, catalyzed formation of an unknown intermediate (retention time 8.6 min), which was formed by the action of Triton-solubilized enzyme fractions, obtained from 'green-unripe' and 'yellow-ripe' bananas. The enzyme responsible for the formation of this intermediate might be involved in the stay-green character and could be a component of Chl oxidase pathway. Partial purification of soluble protein fraction by DEAE-Sepharose showed the presence of chlorophyllase, magnesium-dechelatase, pheophorbide a oxygenase, red fluorescent catabolite reductase and Chl oxidase. Native PAGE of pooled fractions showed separation of proteins in different bands. Pooled fractions IV and VI showed the presence of a single major band, resulting in almost a homogenous preparation in a single step. Fraction IV catalyzed dechelation of Mg by Mg-dechelatase, while fraction VI catalyzed the formation of 132-OH-Chl a by chlorophyll oxidase. Chlorophyll oxidase activity was stimulated by linolenic acid, indicating involvement of lipoxygenase in oxidative Chl degradation, thereby resulting in the formation of 13(2)-OH-Chl a as product. The results show the presence of various enzymes of chlorophyllase and chlorophyll oxidase pathways in soluble enzyme fraction.