Purification and properties of alpha-D-mannosidase from jack-bean meal.

1. alpha-Mannosidase from jack-bean meal was purified 150-fold. beta-N-Acetyl-glucosaminidase and beta-galactosidase were removed from the preparation by treatment with pyridine. Zn(2+) was added during the purification to stabilize the alpha-mannosidase. 2. At pH values below neutrality, alpha-mannosidase undergoes reversible spontaneous inactivation at a rate dependent on the temperature, the degree of dilution and the extent of purification. The enzyme is also subject to irreversible inactivation, which is prevented by the addition of albumin. 3. Reversible inactivation of alpha-mannosidase is accelerated by EDTA and reversed or prevented by Zn(2+). Other cations, such as Co(2+), Cd(2+) and Cu(2+), accelerate inactivation; an excess of Zn(2+) again exerts a protective action, and so does EDTA in suitable concentration. 4. Neither Zn(2+) nor EDTA has any marked effect in the assay of untreated enzyme. In an EDTA-treated preparation, however, Zn(2+) reactivates the enzyme during assay. 5. It is postulated that alpha-mannosidase is a dissociable Zn(2+)-protein complex in which Zn(2+) is essential for enzyme activity.