The sulphatase of ox liver. XX. The preparation of sulphatases B1alpha and B1beta.

Sulphatases B1alpha and B1beta (EC 3.1.6.1) have been prepared as apparently homogeneous proteins by chromatography on ConA-Sepharose. Both have a mol. wt. of 56 000, and E1%280nm of 17 and a turnover number of 8600 min-1 with nitrocatechol sulphate as substrate. Their amino acid compositions are identical: like sulphatase A, the sulphatases B are rich in proline and yield glucosamine on hydrolysis. They are not altered by treatment with neuraminidase. Both fractions show strong UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine 4-sulphatase activity, weak iduronate sulphatase activity, but no significant heparan N-sulphatase activity. It is suggested that the physiological activity of sulphatase B is that of the N-acetylgalactosamine 4-sulphatase which is lacking in the Maroteaux-Lamy Syndrome.