Biosynthesis of two lysosomal enzymes in macrophages. Evidence for a precursor of beta-galactosidase.

We have purified beta-galactosidase and beta-glucuronidase from macrophages of thioglycollate-treated mice using concanavalin A chromatography and immunoprecipitation. The apparent molecular weight of the beta-galactosidase subunit, as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, changed during a long term pulse-chase experiment. Following a 1-h pulse with [3H]leucine, radiolabel was present exclusively in an Mr = 82,000 form. However, after a 3-h chase in medium containing unlabeled leucine, most label migrated at Mr = 63,000, and at 24 h, all label was in the Mr = 63,000 form. Electrophoresis of peptides produced by cyanogen bromide cleavage of immunoprecipitates demonstrated structural similarities between precursor and mature forms. A mutation in the mouse, which is known to depress the rate of synthesis of beta-galactosidase in many cell types, proportionately decreased incorporation of [3H]leucine into both the Mr = 82,000 and 63,000 forms. Therefore, by kinetic, structural, and genetic evidence, the large molecular weight beta-galactosidase is a precursor of mature macrophage enzyme. No precursor of the Mr = 75,000 subunit of beta-glucuronidase was detected.