Purification and characterization of glutathione S-transferases P, S and N. Isolation from rat liver of Yb1 Yn protein, the existence of which was predicted by subunit hybridization in vitro.

The glutathione S-transferases are dimeric proteins and comprise subunits of Mr 25 500 (Ya), 26 500 (Yn), 27 000 (Yb1 and Yb2) and 28 500 (Yc). Enzymes containing Ya and/or Yc subunits have been isolated as have forms containing binary combinations of Yn, Yb1 and Yb2 subunits. To date only one enzyme, transferase S, has been described that is a YbYn heterodimer [Hayes & Chalmers (1983) Biochem. J. 215, 581-588]; the identity of the Yb monomer found in transferase S has not been reported previously. The identification and isolation of a YnYn dimer (transferase N) from rat testis is now described. This has enabled structural and functional comparisons to be made between Yb1, Yb2 and Yn monomers. Reversible dissociation experiments between the YnYn and Yb1Yb1 homodimers and between the YnYn and Yb2Yb2 homodimers demonstrated that Yn monomers can hybridize with both Yb1 and Yb2 monomers. Reversible dissociation of transferases N and C (Yb1Yb2) showed that both Yb1 and Yb2 monomers can hybridize with Yn monomers under competitive conditions. The hydridization data suggest that transferase S represents the Yb2Yn subunit combination. A knowledge of the elution position from chromatofocusing columns of the Yb1Yn hybrid that was formed in vitro enabled a purification scheme to be devised for an enzyme from rat liver (transferase P) believed to consist of Yb1Yn subunits. A comparison of the chromatographic behaviour of the YnYn, Yb1Yb1 and Yb2Yb2 dimers on chromatofocusing and hydroxyapatite columns with the behaviour of transferases P and S on the same matrices suggests these two enzymes may be identified as the Yb1Yn and Yb2Yn dimers respectively. The catalytic activities and the inhibitory effects of non-substrate ligands on transferases P and S are significantly different and again suggest they comprise Yb1 and Yn subunits and Yb2 and Yn subunits respectively; transferase P exhibits a 6-fold higher specific activity for 1,2-dichloro-4-nitrobenzene than does transferase S, whereas, conversely, transferase S possesses a 9-fold higher specific activity for trans-4-phenylbut-3-en-2-one than does transferase P. The quaternary structure of transferases P and S was verified by using peptide mapping and 'Western blotting' techniques.