The action of phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipases C on membranes.

A phospholipase C prepared from lymphocytes readily hydrolysed pure phosphatidyl-inositol but was relatively ineffective against phosphatidylinositol in erythrocyte "ghosts" and rat liver microsomal fraction and also against sonicated lipid extracts from these membranes. In contrast, a phospholipase C prepared from Staphylcoccus aureus readily hydrolysed phosphatidylinositol in sonicated lipid extracts but had only low activity against purified phosphatidylinositol. Unlike the enzyme from lymphocytes, the S. aureus phospholipase C did not require Ca2+ for its activity and was inhibited by cations. The previously reported specificity of this enzyme was confirmed by our observation of hydrolysis of approx. 75% of the phosphatidylinositol in ox, sheep and cat erythrocyte "ghosts" together with no detectable effect on the major erythrocyte membrane phospholipids. The phosphatidylinositol of rat liver microsomal fraction was hydrolysed only to a maximum of 15%. Some preliminary experiments showed that approx. 60% of the phosphatidylinositol of ox or sheep erythrocytes could be hydrolysed without causing substantial haemolysis.