The subunits of human hexosaminidase A

Previous studies of the subunit structure of hexosaminidase gave ambiguous results, but suggested that the enzyme was composed of six equally sized subunits. Dissociation of hexosaminidase A with p-chloromercuribenzoate produces an alkylated fragment with mol.wt. approx. 50000, which is converted into hexosaminidase S by treatment with dithiothreitol. Treatment of native hexosaminidase A with sodium dodecylsulphate results in the formation of a large and a small fragment. However, although the native enzyme has a sedimentation coefficient of 5.8S, dissociation by S-carboxymethylation and maleic anhydride treatment results in subunits exhibiting a single schlieren boundary on analytical ultracentrifugation with a sedimentation coefficient of 2.18S. These results indicate that the enzyme is composed of four subunits, each with molwt. approx. 25000-27000. The mol.wt. of the native enzymes is calculated to be approx. 110000. Our data are consistent with the subunit structures of hexosaminidases A, B and S as being alpha2beta2, beta4 and alpha4 respectively.