Metal-ion effects on proteolysis and stability in secondary lysosomes of mouse kidney

In previous studies, in vitro digestion of [1 2 5-I] ribonuclease by lysosomes of mouse kidney was limited because breakdown, which was rapid at first, slowed markedly so that most of the labeled protein escaped degradation. We now describe incubation conditions which allow digestion to proceed until approximately 70% of the exogenous protein label is released in acid-soluble form, after 30-45 min at 37 degrees C. Such activity is seen with either the addition of EDTA or incubation of concentrated cell particle suspensions. EDTA is effective in low concentrations and shows the same stimulation of digestion over a range of approximately 10-minus 6--10-minus 3 M. Other chelating agents have similar effects; dipyridyl and hydroxquinoline are as effective as EDTA, o-phenanthroline and diethyldithiocarbamate are slightly less effective. When the incubation medium had been treated with a chelating resin, Chelex 100, dilute suspensions of lysosomes were as active as those in EDTA. These results lead to the conclusion that metal ions, present as contaminants in very small concentrations, inhibit the activity of mouse kidney lysosomes. The effect of the metal ions is to diminish lysosomal stability, leading to release of intact labeled ribonuclease in non-sedimentable form. Interaction between lysosomes and metal, leading to inhibition of digestion upon heating, occurs at low temperature, but breakdown requires incubation at 37 degrees C and may be autolytic. In contrast to chelators, mercaptoethanol is without marked effect on stability; the stimulation in digestion rate caused by this agent is due either to a direct effect on the lysosomal enzymes or to a non-destructive influence on the lysosomal structure.