Purification and some properties of gamma-glutamyltransferase from human liver.

The purification of gamma-glutamyltransferase ((gamma-glutamyl)-peptide: amino acid gamma-glutamyltransferase, EC 2.3.2.2) from normal human liver is described. The procedure includes solubilization of enzyme from membranes using deoxycholate and Lubrol W, treatment with acetone and butanol, and affinity chromatography on immobilized concanavalin A. Treatment with papain was used to release the enzyme from aggregates of lipid and protein, prior to further purification. On overall purification of 9400 was achieved and analytical polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicated that the final product was homogeneous, and had a molecular weight of 110 000. Two subunits were identified on dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis with estimated molecular weights of 47 000 and 22 000. The kinetic properties studied for the purified enzyme were similar to those found for partially purified (not papain-treated) enzyme, and resembled those of serum gamma-glutamyltransferase. The true KM values for the liver enzyme were estimated to 0.81 mM for gamma-glutamyl-p-nitroanilide and to 12.4 mM for glycyl-glycine.