The common identity of five glycosidases in human liver.

An enzyme has been isolated from human liver by DEAE-cellulose chromatography and has been shown by competitive substrate inhibition to be capable of hydrolysing synthetic beta-D-galactosides, beta-D-glucosides, beta-D-fucosides, beta-D-xylosides, and alpha-L-arabinosides. Another form of alpha-L-arabinosidase activity elutes with the major beta-D-galactosidase component on DEAE-chromatography, but has a different identity on the basis of its stability at 4 degrees C. Liver samples from patients with Gaucher's disease are deficient in beta-D-fucosidase as well as beta-D-glucosidase activity.