Purification from rat liver of an enzyme that catalyses the sulphurylation of phenols.

1. An enzyme (EC 2.8.2.1) that catalyses the transfer of sulphate from adenosine 3'-phosphate 5'-sulphatophosphate to phenols was purified approx. 2000-fold from male rat livers. 2. The purified preparation did not catalyse the sulphurylation of dehydroepiandrosterone, butan-1-ol, l-tyrosine methyl ester, 1-naphthylamine or serotonin. 3. At pH8.0 and 37 degrees C the K(m) values of the enzyme for p-nitrophenol and adenosine 3'-phosphate 5'-sulphatophosphate are 51 and 14mum respectively. The K(m) value for either substrate is independent of the concentration of the other. 4. The sulphurylation of phenol is inhibited by thiol compounds and glutathione at a concentration of 3mm caused an approx. 50% decrease in enzyme activity. 5. The K(m) of the enzyme for adenosine 3'-phosphate 5'-sulphatophosphate is unaffected by the presence of added glutathione but at a concentration of 5mm-glutathione the K(m) of the enzyme for its phenolic substrate is decreased.