Egasyn, a protein complexed with microsomal beta-glucuronidase.

Two polypeptide chains are present in murine beta-glucuronidase precipitated with a specific anti-beta-glucuronidase antibody F(ab)2 fragment. One is the catalytic subunit of beta-glucuronidase and the other has the properties predicted for the hypothetical beta-gluronidase membrane anchor protein. The new protein, named egasyn, is associated with microsomal, but no lysosomal beta-glucuronidase. It is released from the microsomal beta-glucuronidase complex by heat treatment. The YBR strain of mice carrying the Eg degrees mutation does not form an egasyn-beta-glucuronidase complex and is unable to retain beta-glucuronidase on microsomal membranes.