Lysosomal hydrolase secretion by Tetrahymena: a comparison of several intralysosomal enzymes with the isoenzymes released into the medium

Tetrahymena pyriformis were grown in proteose-peptone medium and then washed and incubated in a dilute salt solution for one hour. The cells were then discarded and the lysosomal hydrolases that had been secreted were subjected to DEAE cellulose column chromatography. At least three isoenzymes of acid phosphatase, three of acid protease, and two of beta-N-acetylhexoseaminidase were found, as well as single peaks of alpha-mannosidase, beta-galactosidase, and beta-fucosidase. The latter two activities were not resolved by the DEAE column and could not be separated in a second chromatographic step on CM-cellulose. Cells were also grown under identical conditions and homogenized in 0.25 M sucrose in order to allow comparison of some of the intracellular lysosomal hydrolases with their secreted counterparts. Two lysosomal populations were resolved by sucrose density gradient sedimentation, a heavy lysosomal fraction, contered at a density of about 1.25 gm/cm3, and a light lysosomal fraction, centered at a density of about 1.16 gm/cm3. These two populations differed in that the light lysosomes did not appear to contain significant amounts of beta-fucosidase, beta-galactosidase, or acid protease, whereas all six of the hydrolase activities studied were present in the heavy lysosomes. The light lysosomal peak occurred in cells grown to transition phase, but was markedly reduced in cells from cultures grown to stationary phase. In addition to these two fractions a third very light particle, containing only alpha-mannosidase activity, was detected just inside the gradient. Measurements were made of the effect of heat (10 minutes at 66 degrees) and of a change in pH from 4.5 (standard assay condition) to 6.0 on the three acid phosphatases and two beta-N-acetylhexoseaminidase isoenzymes resolved by DEAE column chromatography of the secreted hydrolases and on these hydrolyases in the heavy and light lysosomal fractions on the sucrose gradient. Use of the thermostability and pH criteria permitted computation of the expected properties of the intralysosomal acid phosphatase and hexoseaminidase activities if these consisted of the respective isoenzymes in the proportions secreted. It was found that neither the intralysosomal acid phosphatase nor the intralysosomal hexoseaminidase had the properties expected if they consisted of the secreted mixture of the respective isoenzymes, indicating that modification of some of these isoenzymes may have occurred during the 1-hour starvation period or after secretion.