Esterolytic activities of rat intestinal mucosa. 2. Purification and properties of a glycerol-ester hydrolase.

A glycerol-ester hydrolase from rat intestinal cells has been purified using chromatography on carboxyhexanoyl-Sepharose-glyceryldioctanoate and preparative gel electrophoresis. The enzyme gives a single band by analytical gel electrophoresis; it is a monomer of molecular weight 68000. The optimum pH for its action on glyceryl tributyrate is between 8.0 and 8.5; the activation energy was calculated to be 8.7 kcal x mol-1 (36.4 kJ/mol). Its substrate specificity is mainly directed against esters of glycerol and of primary monoalcohols. Similarly to pancreatic lipase but contrary to liver esterase, it is inhibited by bile salts; relief of this inhibition by colipase is only observed for pancreatic lipase. The possible role of the glycerol-ester hydrolase in the absorption of short and of medium chain triglycerides is discussed.