Purification and some properties of 1-aspartamido-beta-N-acetylglucosamine amidohydrolase from human liver.

Human liver 1-aspartamido-beta-N-acetylglucosamine amidohydrolase (aspartylglucosylaminase, EC 3.5.1.26) was purified 17 500-fold to apparent homogeneity as judged from polyacrylamide-gel disc electrophoresis. A pH optimum of 7.7-9.0 was found. The Km value was pH- and temperature-dependent. At 37 degrees C and pH 7.7, Km was 0.16 mM and it increased to 0.29 at pH 6.0 and 0.23 at pH 9.0. At 25 degrees C and pH 7.7, a Km value of 0.99 mM was obtained. When the substrate concentration was varied, apparent Michaelis-Menten kinetics were obtained. p-Hydroxymercuribenzoate, glutathione or cysteine had no effect on the enzyme activity; 5 mM-N-acetylcysteine inhibited about 47% of the total enzyme activity. Apart from Cu2+, other bivalent ions were virtually ineffective at 1 mM. The kinetic study differentiates this enzyme from aspartylglucosylaminase from other sources.