Transient membrane association of the precursors of cathepsin C during their transfer into lysosomes.

Transport of the lysosomal enzyme cathepsin C was studied in Morris hepatoma 7777 cells. Subcellular fractions obtained after isopyenic centrifugation in sucrose gradients of labelled cell homogenates were sequentially extracted by hypo-osmotic shock, Na2CO3 and Triton X-100. Polypeptides related to cathepsin C were immunoprecipitated and analysed by SDS/PAGE and fluorography. At early times after synthesis and for up to 60 min, precursor polypeptides of cathepsin C are distributed in endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi fractions, in membrane-associated form, as Triton X-100 is necessary for their extraction. At 2 h and later after synthesis, intermediate and mature forms of the enzyme can be totally extracted by hypo-osmotic shock from gradient fractions corresponding to the lysosomes of Morris hepatoma 7777 cells.