Assay of phospholipases C and D in presence of other lipid hydrolases.

The activity of a phospholipase C or phospholipase D may be assessed by measuring the radioactivity or phosphate released into the aqueous phase of a lipid extract. However, in crude enzyme fractions, this type of analysis may not be possible due to formation of water-soluble metabolites by other enzymatic reactions, as demonstrated here with a crude lysosomal enzyme fraction. In such instances, analysis of both water-soluble and lipid-soluble metabolites, at various times of incubation, may still provide clear identification of phospholipases C or D, even when a variety of lipases and other hydrolases are present.