Properties of two forms of alpha-L-fucosidase isolated from normal human sera with low and high enzymatic activity.

Studies on human alpha-L-fucosidase were performed on normal and low activity sera. After DEAE-Sephacel chromatography, two major forms of enzyme have been characterized in both types of sera. These enzymatic forms were different with respect to their thermostability and electrofocusing behaviour. The less acidic form (I) was thermolabile. In contrast, the more acidic one (II) was thermostable. But the forms I and II had respectively similar properties when isolated from either normal or low activity sera. These results suggest the presence in both types of sera of two major forms of alpha-L-fucosidase but in variable proportions. The low activity sera contained a major proportion of the thermolabile less acidic form when compared with normal activity sera.