[Comparative characteristics of soluble and membrane brain aminopeptidases. I. Isolation, physico-chemical properties, catalytic activity].

The methods were worked out for isolating of the bovine brain soluble and membrane-bound aminopeptidases in highly purified state. One of the stages involved a biospecific-type chromatography on aminohexyl-Sepharose. Both enzymes were found to have equal molecular masses (ca. 100-107 kD) and isoelectric points (pI 4,6). None of the enzymes possessed a subunit structure. Both aminopeptidases were inactivated by omicron-phenanthroline and by an SH-reagent, p-hydroxymercuribenzoate. The catalytic constants for the hydrolysis of a specific substrate, L-leucine p-nitroanilide, were identical for the two enzymes. So far no differences in the physico-chemical or enzymatic properties of the soluble and membrane-bound enzymes were disclosed.