Topological arrangement in microsomal membranes of hepatic haem oxygenase induced by cobalt chloride.

1. The microsomal haem oxygenase activity induced by the administration of CoCl2 was found mainly in the smooth-surfaced microsomal fraction, whereas that of the untreated control animals was widely distributed in smooth-surfaced microsomal, rough-surfaced microsomal and Golgi fractions. 2. When microsomal preparation was incubated and the time course of the distribution of biliverdin between the membranes and the medium was followed, most of the biliverdin formed was found first in the medium. This suggests that the active site of haem oxygenase is exposed on the cytoplasmic surface of the membranes. The possible localization of the enzyme at the outer surface of the membranes was also supported by a digestion experiment with trypsin. The haem oxygenase activity was greatly decreased even at low concentration of the proteinase, which did not affected the NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activity. 3. When microsomal preparation was further fractionated by isopycnic centrifugation in the presence of deoxycholate or by partitioning of sonicated microsomal preparation in aqueous-polymer two-phase systems, most of the haem oxygenase activity was found in a fraction different from the main fraction of the NADH- and NADPH-cytochrome c reductase and NADH--ferricyanide reductase activities. This indicates the different distribution of haem oxygenase from the other enzymes mentioned, on the lateral plane of microsomal membranes, and suggests the different localization of the haem oxygenase system from the electron-transport system linked with cytochrome b5 and cytochrome P-450.