A rapid colorimetric assay for carbamyl phosphate synthetase I.

A rapid, reproducible, and sensitive colorimetric assay for carbamyl phosphate synthetase I was presented. A four-fold increase in sensitivity and reduced assay time were afforded by this procedure. The method utilized the chemical conversion of carbamyl phosphate to hydroxyurea by the action of hydroxylamine instead of employing a coupling enzyme. The hydroxyurea was quantitated in 15 min by an improved colorimetric assay for ureido compounds by measuring the absorption of the resulting chromophore at 458 nm. Optimum conditions for both the formation and quantitation of hydroxyurea were established. Activity measurements of carbamyl phosphate synthetase I obtained by this uncoupled method were identical with those obtained by the ornithine transcarbamylase coupled assay.