Phospholipases A1 and A2 in subcellular fractions and plasma membranes of Krebs II ascites cells.

A method is described for the localization and characterization of phospholipases A1 and A2 (EC3.1.1.4) in Krebs II ascites cells, particularly in the plasma membranes. Cells were lysed with a Dounce homogenizer in an isotonic sucrose medium. Plasma membranes sediment with mitochondria and lysosomes during subcellular fractionation and are finally isolated on a continuous sucrose gradient. The membranes are localized at two levels in the gradient, at densities of 1.06 and 1.15, in which 5'-nucleotidase (EC 3.1.3.5) activity exhibits a 9- and 21-fold purification, respectively. Total contamination by endoplasmic reticulum, lysosomes, and mitochondria is 17 percent for the low-density membrane fraction and 25 percent for the high-density fraction. The phospholipases A present in Krebs II cells are active at pH 4.0 and pH 7.5. At the 2 pH values, they have A1 and A2 specificities. The intracellular distribution of acidic forms is comparable to that of acid phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.1), while neutral forms are localized like lactate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.27). A small proportion of neutral phospholipase A2 has the same repartition on the sucrose gradient as nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide diaphorase (EF 1.6.4.3), an endoplasmic reticulum marker, and as 5'-nucleotidase, a plasma membrane marker.