Purification and properties of hyaluronidase from bull sperm

Hyaluronidase from bull sperm was fractionated by ammonium sulfate and further purified by DEAE-cellulose and Sephadex chromatography. The highly purified hyaluronidase preparation showed 2,370 units per mg of protein (68,730 N.F. units per mg of protein), i.e. 182-fold purification. Disc gel electrophoresis showed one major component. The molecular weight of bull sperm hyaluronidase was 62,000 by sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis. Hyaluronidase from bull sperm has optimum activity at pH 3.8 and an absolute requirement for cations. Kplus and Naplus have a greater effect than Ca2plus, Mg2plus, and Mn2plus, whereas Co2plus, Cu2plus, and Zn2plus do not affect the enzyme activity. Purified preparations are less stable than crude extracts stored frozen at minus 15 degrees. Km of hyaluronidase with hyaluronic acid as substrate is 3.7 mg per ml and Vmax is 2.4 mumol per min by Hofstee plot.