Presence of a cellular retinylphosphate binding protein in rat liver.

A retinylphosphate binding activity, resolved during purification, has been discovered in rat liver cytosol. The partial purification includes ammonium sulfate precipitation and DEAE-cellulose chromatography. The macromolecular component responsible for the binding has a sedimentation coefficient of about 2 S and is sensitive to pronase. This binding is reversible and specific for retinylphosphate, since retinol, retinoic acid and retinoylphosphate do not compete with [3H]retinylphosphate.