Properties of a rat liver smooth microsomal subfraction not aggregated by Mg2+

A smooth microsomal fraction (smooth II microsomes) was earlier isolated and characterized in a number of investigations. Using a three-layer discontinuous sucrose gradient containing Mg²⁺ this fraction was divided into two subfractions (IIa and IIb) by a single centrifugation. The smooth IIa fraction proved to be a purified smooth microsomal fraction of specific composition. It contains high amounts of cytochromes $\text{b}{}_5$ and P-450, low activities of other electron transport enzymes and glucose-6-phosphatase, and no UDP-glucuronic acid transferase. No membrane or enzyme synthesis is induced in this subfraction by treatment with phenobarbital or methylcholanthrene. It appears that the membranes of smooth IIa microsomes derive from the smooth endoplasmic reticulum and are devoted to specific functions.