Biochemical and immunochemical characterization of hexosaminidase P

Biochemistry. 1978 May 2;17(9):1713-7. doi: 10.1021/bi00602a020.

Abstract

Hexasaminidase P, the main isozyme of hexosaminidase in pregnancy serum, was isolated and purified 600--700-fold by a two-step purification procedure--affinity chromatography on Sepharose-bound epsilon-aminocaproyl-N-acetylglucosylamine, followed by ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose. The purified enzyme was subjected to biochemical and immunochemical analysis. Its catalytic property, namely, kinetic behavior, is similar to that of the major isozymes of hexosaminidase, A and B. However, it differs from these isozymes in its electrophoretic mobility and in its apparent molecular weight which is around 150 000 compared with 100 000 of the A and B isozymes. Immunochemical analysis indicates that the P isozymes is antigenically cross-reactive with both A and B isozymes, but it does not contain the A-specific antigenic determinants, and exhibits identical antigenic specificity to hexasaminidase B. Two possible structures are suggested that are compatible with the experimental data: (a) a hexosaminidase B like structure with higher extent of glycosylation; (b) a hexameter of beta chain, possibly arranged as three beta2 subunits.

MeSH terms

  • Chemical Phenomena
  • Chemistry
  • Epitopes
  • Female
  • Hexosaminidases / immunology
  • Hexosaminidases / isolation & purification*
  • Hexosaminidases / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Isoenzymes / immunology
  • Isoenzymes / isolation & purification*
  • Isoenzymes / metabolism
  • Kinetics
  • Macromolecular Substances
  • Molecular Weight
  • Placenta / enzymology*
  • Pregnancy

Substances

  • Epitopes
  • Isoenzymes
  • Macromolecular Substances
  • Hexosaminidases