JBC, Vol. 250, Issue 15, 5982-5994, Aug, 1975
Gamma-glutamyl hydrolase conjugase). Purification and properties of the bovine hepatic enzyme
M. Silink, R. Reddel, M. Bethel and P. B. Rowe
Bovine hepatic gamma-glutamyl hydrolase (conjugase) has been purified to
homogeneity. A feature of the purification procedure was the use of high
affinity macromolecular polyanion enzyme inhibitors which formed tight
complexes with the enzyme altering its solubility, gel filtration, and ion
exchange properties. The enzyme, which cleaves the gamma-glutamyl bonds of
pteroylpolyglutamates, has a molecular weight of 108,000. It is a
glycoprotein with an acid pH optimum, properties consistent with its
lysosomal localization. Zinc is essential for enzyme stability. The
presence of highly reactive sulfhydryl groups was evident from the extreme
sensitivity to oxidizing agents and organomercurials. Very little thermal
denaturation occurs below 65 degrees, but the enzyme is extremely sensitive
to 0uffer anions, in keeping with the polyanionic nature of the substrate.
In order to study the mechanism of action of the enzyme, a wide range of
pteroylpolyglutamates, N-t-Boc polyglutamates and free polyglutamates were
synthesized containing L-[U-14C]glutamic acid residues in different
positions. Two pteroyltriglutamate derivatives were also synthesized in
which an alpha bond replaced one of the two available gamma bonds. Time
course studies of the products of the action of conjugase on these various
substrates enabled us to draw the following conclusions about the enzyme:
(a) peptide bond cleavage occurred only at gamma-glutamyl bonds and the
presence of a COOH-terminal gamma bond was essential for enzyme action; (b)
bond cleavage occurred with equal facility at internal points of the
peptide chain and the enzyme should therefore be more appropriately
classified as an acid hydrolase; (c) longer chain gamma-glutamyl peptides
were preferentially attacked by the enzyme, the cleavage of diglutamyl
peptides being extremely slow; and (d) cleavage of gamma bonds was
independent of the NH2-terminal pteroyl moiety. Studies with polyanions
such as the glycosaminoglycans and dextran sulfate supported the concept
that the polyanion structure of the substrate was a major factor in
substrate-active site interaction.