Isoenzymes of glutathione transferase in rat small intestine

The major glutathione transferases in the rat small-intestine cytosol were isolated and characterized. The enzymes active with 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene as second substrate were almost quantitatively recovered after affinity chromatography on immobilized S-hexylglutathione. The different basic forms of glutathione transferase, which account for 90% of the activity, were resolved by chromatofocusing. Fractions containing enzymes with lower isoelectric points were not further resolved. The isolated fractions were characterized by their elution position in chromatofocusing, apparent subunit Mr, reactions with specific antibodies, substrate specificities and inhibition characteristics. The major basic forms identified were glutathione transferases 1-1, 4-4 and 7-7. In addition, evidence for the presence of a variant form of subunit 1, as well as trace amounts of subunits 2 and 3, was obtained. A significant amount of transferase 8-8 in the fraction of acidic enzyme forms was demonstrated by immunoblot and Ouchterlony double-diffusion analysis. In the comparison of the occurrence of the different forms of glutathione transferase in liver, lung, kidney and small intestine, it was found that the small intestine is the richest source of glutathione transferase 7-7.