Distribution of dipeptidase activity between lysosomes and soluble fraction of rat liver.

Dipeptidase activity toward Arg-Phe, Arg-Gly, and Trp-Leu exhibited bimodal distribution in the lysosomal and soluble fractions of rat liver. The majority (50-70 percent) of the dipeptidase activity was present in the soluble fraction. Some evidence for a plasma membrane dipeptidase, which hydrolyzes Trp-Leu but not Arg-Phe or Arg-Gly, also was found. The lysosomal dipeptidase activity had a pH optimum of 6.0-7.0, and was activated by sulfhydryl reagents. Lysosomal localization for some of the dipeptidase activity was established with Triton WR-1339 fractionation and latency experiments.