Glutathione transferase isoenzymes from Bufo bufo embryos at an early developmental stage

Six forms of glutathione transferase (GST) were resolved from the cytosolic fraction of Bufo bufo embryos at developmental stage 4 by GSH-Sepharose affinity chromatography followed by f.p.l.c. chromatofocusing in the 9-6 pH range. They have apparent isoelectric points at pH 8.37 (GST I), 8.22 (GST II), 8.10 (GST III), 7.84 (GST IV), 7.37 (GST V) and 7.12 (GST VI), and each displayed an apparent subunit molecular mass of 23 kDa by SDS/PAGE. The Bufo bufo embryo enzymes showed very similar structural, catalytic and immunological properties, as indicated by their substrate-specificities, inhibition characteristics, c.d. spectra, h.p.l.c. elution profiles and immunological reactivities, as well as by their N-terminal amino acid sequences. Although Bufo bufo embryo GSTs do not correspond to any other known GSTs, the results of our experiments indicate that amphibian GSTs could be included in the Pi family of GSTs. This conclusion is supported by the analysis of c.d. spectra, and by the fact that mammalian Pi class GSTs and amphibian GSTs showed about 80% identity in their N-terminal amino acid sequences. Furthermore, antisera prepared against Bufo bufo GST III cross-reacted in immunoblotting analysis with Pi class GSTs, and vice versa.