Membrane lipids can modulate guanylate cyclase activity of rat intestinal microvillus membranes.

Studies of the temperature dependence (10-40 degrees C) of guanylate cyclase in rat intestinal microbillus membranes reveal a change in energy of activation (slope of the Arrhenius plot) at 30 +/- 1 degree C. The break point temperature corresponds to the lipid thermotropic transition in these membranes previously characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (range: 23-39 degrees C; peak temperature, 31 degrees C). The break point temperature for guanylate cyclase also corresponds to that of a number of other microbillus membrane enzymes and of D-glucose transport. These activities are defined as "intrinsic" membrane activities by this operational criterion. Treatment with the nonionic detergent Lubrol WX increased the guanylate cyclase activity 4- to 8-fold and removed the discontinuity in the Arrhenius plot.