Phospholipase A activity in commercial nucleases. Implications for membrane vesicle isolation.

Phospholipase A activity was detected in commercial DNAases I and II and in RNAase preparations. The amount of phospholipase correlates inversely with the degree of nuclease purification. The assessment of the level of phospholipase in commercial nucleases is important in cases where enzymatic properties other than those of DNAases and RNAases are to be investigated and when these preparations are to be used in the isolation of biological membranes.