Alkaline ribonuclease (pH optimum 7.6) was isolated from rye (Secale cereale L) germ cytosol and partially purified; the preparation was devoid of other nucleolytic activities. 2. The enzyme is a typical endonuclease hydrolysing all phosphodiester bonds in RNA, yielding ultimately purine and pyrimidine nucleoside 2',3'-cyclic phosphates and the corresponding 3'-phosphates. Upon extensive digestion of synthetic polyribonucleotides, pyrimidine, but not purine, nucleoside 3'-phosphates are formed. The enzyme does not hydrolyse synthetic purine cyclic nucleotides. 3. The enzyme does not depolymerize double-stranded complexes of poly(A) and poly(U). 4. Susceptibility to photooxidation and inhibition by 2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzyl bromide and N-bromosuccinimide implies the involvement of tryptophan residue in the active centre of the enzyme.
