Studies on cow liver porphobilinogen deaminase

Further properties of cow liver deaminase are reported. Highly purified deaminase migrated as a single badn on starch and polycrylamide gels electrophoresis. Molecular weight determinations by means of gel filtration on calibrated columns of Sephadex G-100, Sepharose 4 B and B 10-Gel P-100, gave values of 40 000 +/- 4 000. Data obtained suggest that cow liver deaminase exists as a single polypeptide chain. Heating partially purified preparations of deminase resulted in an enhancement of activity. Added cosynthetase to these fractions increased the percentage of uroporphyrinogen III formed but also diminished total uroporphyrinogens synthesis. The action of several compounds added to the system was studied. Thiol reagents and divalent metals as Hg 2+ , Pb2+, (d2+ and Zn2+ inhibited deaminase, indicating the presence of thiol groups essential for activity, probably involved in the cyclization step. Certain concentrations of sodium, potassium and magnesium salts enhanced activity. Several chelators tested were without effect on the deminase. Some dicarboxylic acids and 2-methoxy-5-nitrotropone inhibited the enzyme.