Latency of inosine-5'-diphosphatase in microsomes isolated from rat liver

The latency of inosine-5'-diphosphatase has been studied in microsomes isolated from rat liver. The appearance of latent activity was the result of an increase in the Vmax of the enzyme. This was observed when assays were carried out in the presence of sodium deoxycholate, after microsomes were treated wtih phospholipase C, or at pH 10.3 and after microsomes were subjected to nitrogen cavitation. The apparent Km of inosine-5'-diphosphatase for IDP was unchanged when microsomes were treated with phospholipase C or at pH 10.3 after both these treatments approximately 85% of the enzyme remained bound to the membrane. In contrast, when microsomes were treated with phospholipase C or at pH 10.3 after both these treatments approximately 85% of the enzyme remained bound to the membrane. In contrast, when microsomes were treated with sodium deoxycholate or subjected to nitrogen cavitation, approximately 75% of the inosine-5'-diphosphatase activity was released from the membrane, and the apparent Km of the enzyme for IDP increased 4- and 2-fold, respectively. Microsomal cisternae were loaded with lead phosphate by incubation with glucose-6-P and Pb2+, and the release of this lead phosphate following the addition of EDTA to the medium was determined to estimate the permeability of the microsomal membrane. When microsomes were treated with sodium deoxycholate, phospholipase C, or at alkaline pH, the microsomal membrane became almost completely permeable to EDTA under conditions where there was little or no increase in the activity of inosine-5'-diphosphatase. Microsomes were treated at pH 10.3 and then adjusted slowly to pH 7.5. The activity of inosine-5'-diphosphatase decreased to the same activity observed in untreated preparations. The results seem of exclude the possibility that latent inosine-5'-diphosphatase activity is the result of an increased permeability of the membrane to IDP. They are, however, consistent with the presence of a noncompetitive inhibitor of the enzyme in the microsomal membrane.