Purification and properties of the native form of rabbit liver aldolase. Evidence for proteolytic modification after tissue extraction.

Aldolase was purified from rabbit liver by affinity-elution chromatography. By taking precautions to avoid rupture of lysosomes during the isolation procedure, a stable form of liver aldolase was obtained. The stable form of the enzyme had a specific activity with respect to fructose 1,6-bisphosphate cleavage of 20-28 mumol/min per mg of protein and a fructose 1,6-bisphosphate cleavage of 20-28mumol/min per mg of protein and a frutose 1,6-bisphosphate/fructose 1-phosphate activity ratio of 4. It was distinguishable from rabbit muscle aldolase, as previously isolated, on the basis of its electrophoretic mobility and N-terminal analysis. Muscle and liver aldolases were immunologically distinct. The stable liver aldolase was degraded with a lysosomal extract to a form with catalytic properties resembling those reported for aldolase B4. It is postulated that liver aldolase prepared by previously described methods has been modified by proteolysis and does not constitute the native form of the enzyme.