Purification and properties of arylsulfatase. A from human urine.

Arylsulfatase A (cerebroside sulfate sulfohydrolase) was purified 3500-fold at a 7% yield from human urine. A crude urinary protein concentrate was prepared by treating pooled urine with ammonium sulfate and subsequently drying the precipitate with acetone. The powder thus obtained was extracted with buffer and was subjected to chromatographic and electrophoretic procedures as follows: (a) ammonium sulfate reverse gradient solubilization chromatography; (b) DEAE-cellulose chromatography; (c) Sephadex G-200 gel filtration; (d) preparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; (e) SP-Sephadex chromatography; and (f) antialbumin-Sepharose chromatography. The enzyme was judged to be essentially homogeneous by: (a) a single band on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis at two pH values; (b) formation of a single precipitin line on immunodiffusion against its antiserum: (c) complete freedom from albumin, the major contaminating protein; and (d) a single band on sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis.