Polyacrylamide gradient gel electrophoretic studies of residual catalase in acatalasemia

Erythrocyte catalse in a Japanese-type acatalasemia and a normal control subject was separated by chromatofocusing with or without prior partial purification with DEAE-cellulose. Fractions were analyzed by polyacrylamide gradient gel electrophoresis for catalse activity and protein stain. Chromatofocusing revealed no marked difference in pI values between normal and acatalasemic catalases with or without partial purification. In the gel electrophoresis, molecular weights were also similar; two bands of catalase activity with molecular weights of 290,000 and 350,000 for the acatalasemia and of 280,000 and 360,000 for the normal control were found in the partially purified preparations. The molecular weight of normal catalase in untreated hemolysate was 250,000. Normal catalse was identified as protein bands on polyacrylamide gradient gel after fractionation of hemolysate by chromatofocusing. A more sensitive method for protein stain is still required for demonstration of residual catalse protein on the gel.