Hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase from human brain: purification and partial characterization.

A facile and rapid purification procedure, based upon the heat denaturation of extraneous proteins and GMP-Sepharose affinity chromatography, has been used to purify hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase from human brain. A homogeneous enzyme preparation, as judged by sodium dodecyl sulfate and gradient polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, was obtained. The subunit molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated as 24,000 by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The native molecular weight, determined by gradient gel electrophoresis, was approximately 100,000. These results suggest human brain hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase is a tetramer, consistent with recent results reported for the human erythrocyte enzyme. At least three charge variant forms of the human brain enzyme were distinguished by nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, electrofocusing, and chromatofocusing. Acidic pI values of approximately 5.7, 5.5, and 5.0 were estimated for the three major species.