Biochemical evidence for the coexistence of monomorphic and polymorphic N-acetyltransferase activities on a common protein in rabbit liver.

New Zealand White rabbits were classified as rapid or slow acetylators by measuring the N-acetylation half-life of i.v. administered sulfadiazine, by pedigree analysis and by determination of liver N-acetyltransferase (NAT) activity in vitro. Slow acetylator rabbits were found to have significantly lower levels of p-aminobenzoic acid NAT activity in vitro than did rapid acetylator rabbits, demonstrating genetic covariation of p-aminobenzoic acid (monomorphic) and isoniazid (polymorphic) NAT activity. Monomorphic and polymorphic NAT activities could not be separated by two extensive purification procedures involving sequential centrifugation, fractional precipitation with ammonium sulfate, ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, gel filtration on Sephadex or Sephacryl and isoelectric focusing or electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gels. In addition, indistinguishable heat inactivation patterns were demonstrated for the two NAT activities utilizing highly purified NAT preparations at two different temperatures. Each of these findings support the coexistence of monomorphic and polymorphic NAT activities on a common protein.