Isoenzymes of glutathione transferase in rat kidney cytosol

Glutathione transferases from rat kidney cytosol were purified about 40-fold by chromatography on S-hexylglutathione linked to epoxy-activated Sepharose 6B. Further purification by fast protein liquid chromatography with chromatofocusing in the pH interval 10.6-7.6 resolved five major peaks of activity with 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene as the second substrate. Four of the peaks were identified with rat liver transferases 1-1, 1-2, 2-2 and 4-4 respectively. The criteria used for identification included physical properties, reactions with specific antibodies, substrate specificities and sensitivities to several inhibitors. The fourth major peak is a 'new' form of transferase, which has not been found in rat liver. This isoenzyme, glutathione transferase 7-7, has a lower apparent subunit Mr than any of the transferases isolated from rat liver cytosol, and does not react with antibodies raised against the liver enzymes. Glutathione transferases 3-3 and 3-4, which are abundant in liver, were only present in very small amounts. In a separate chromatofocusing separation in a lower pH interval, an additional peak was eluted at pH 6.3. This isoenzyme is characterized by its high activity with ethacrynic acid.