Partial purification and some properties of a liver alkaline ribonuclease from the frog Rana esculenta.

1. RNAases varying in pH optimum, activation with pCMB, sensitivity towards temperature and acid treatment, as well as electrophoretic mobility were found in Rana esculenta liver extract. 2. Of the three activity peaks of alkaline ribonuclease separated on CM-cellulose with 2000-fold purification, RNAase of peak C is thermo- and acid-stable and exhibits specificity for pyrimidine bases, preferring poly(U) over poly(C). 3. Differences in the specific "inhibitory effect" of frog liver supernatant on the frog liver alkaline RNAase were observed.