[The determination of phospholipase activity using the 31P-NMR spectroscopic method]

The authors have developed a rather rapid and convenient method for testing and measurement of phospholipase C (EC 3.1.4.3) activity, based on continuous recording of the signal reduction in 31P-NMR spectrum of lecithin phosphate group (chemical sigma shift = 0.2 parts per million as regards H3PO4) or of phosphocholine signal augmentation (sigma = -4 parts per million). This method permits a quantitative estimation of lecithin loss or phosphocholine accrual from the kinetics of integral intensity changes in the course of an enzymic reaction and then calculate phospholipase C activity without resorting to thin-layer chromatography traditionally used for this purpose.