Inorganic pyrophosphatase and nucleoside diphosphatase in the parasitic protozoon, Entamoeba histolytica.

Entamoeba histolytica contains two acid pyrophosphatases. One is an inorganic pyrophosphatase with a relatively high K_m ( ? 1 mM) and no cation requirement. The other is a nucleoside diphosphatase with a relatively low K_m ( ? 50 μM) and Ca²⁺ requirement. No Mg²⁺ dependent neutral or alkaline inorganic pyrophosphatase is present. The pyrophosphatases are localized in subcellular particles, display structure-linked latency and are tightly bound to membranes.