[Purification, properties and regulation of urocaninase from rat liver]

Urocaninase (EC 4.2.1.4.9) from rat liver homogenate has been purified, using protein precipitation at pH 4,8, ammonium sulfate fractionation, gel-filtration through Sephadex G-200 and chromatography on DEAE-cellulose. Upon DEAE-cellulose chromatography urocaninase is separated from the proteins possessing the activity of 3',5'-AMP-dependent protein kinase. The purified enzyme becomes activated after addition of ATP and exogenous protein kinase or one of the fractions resulting from DEAE-cellulose chromatography. Using [gamma-32P]ATP, it has been shown that such activation is accompanied by incorporation of at least one phosphate residue into the enzyme molecule. The mol. weight of urocaninase as determined by gel-filtration is about 110 000. The Km value for urocanate is 15 . 10(-6) M, the isoelectric point lies at 5,6. The mechanism of regulation of the urocaninase activity in rat liver is discussed.