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THE PRESENCE OF AN α‐GALACTOSIDASE IN BRAIN AND ITS ROLE IN THE DEGRADATION OF THE DIGALACTOSYL DIGLYCERIDE OF BRAIN
Author(s) -
Rao K. Subba,
Pieringer R. A
Publication year - 1970
Publication title -
journal of neurochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.75
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1471-4159
pISSN - 0022-3042
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-4159.1970.tb00525.x
Subject(s) - melibiose , diglyceride , hydrolysis , chemistry , galactoside , biochemistry , enzyme , galactose , chromatography , enzymatic hydrolysis , glycolipid , maltose
— The presence of α‐galactosidase activity has been demonstrated in rat brain. This enzyme, located mainly in the crude mitochondrial fraction, actively hydrolysed the substrates p ‐nitrophenyl‐α‐galactoside and melibiose, and also catalysed the hydrolysis of digalactosyl diglyceride of both animal and plant origin. The hydrolysis of p ‐nitrophenyl‐α‐galactoside, as catalysed by the α‐galactosidase, occurred optimally at pH 4·9, showed an approximate K m of 1·0 × 10 −3 m , and was markedly inhibited by melibiose, galactose and the mercuric ion.