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Rhodanese isozymes in human tissues
D B Whitehouse1, A J Pilz, G Porta
1MRC Human Biochemical Genetics Unit, Galton Laboratory, University College London.
Annals of Human Genetics
|January 1, 1988
Summary
Researchers identified multiple human rhodanese isozymes in various tissues using electrophoresis. Different tissues show distinct patterns, suggesting separate genes control red cell and tissue rhodanese forms.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Human Genetics
- Enzymology
Background:
- Human rhodanese is an enzyme involved in cellular metabolism.
- Isozymes, or different forms of the same enzyme, can arise from genetic or post-translational modifications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the isozyme patterns of human rhodanese in different tissue homogenates.
- To determine if genetic variations exist in human rhodanese isozymes.
Main Methods:
- Electrophoretic methods, including polyacrylamide gel isoelectric focusing, were used to separate and visualize rhodanese isozymes.
- Staining for specific enzyme activity was performed on tissue homogenates and red cell lysates.
Main Results:
- Multiple isozymes of human rhodanese were detected in all examined tissues.
- Red cell lysates exhibited a simpler isozyme pattern compared to liver homogenates, which showed a more complex pattern including 'tissue' isozymes.
- Observed variations in 'red cell' rhodanese patterns were attributed to storage-induced changes, not genetic variants.
Conclusions:
- Human 'red cell' and 'tissue' rhodanese are likely determined by separate genes.
- The heterogeneity of 'tissue' rhodanese isozymes may involve multiple genetic loci.