Plant microbody proteins, I. Purification and characterization of catalase from leaves of lens culinaris

Abstract

1) Catalase from green leaves of Lens culinaris (lentils) was investigated with respect to isoenzyme patterns. In contrast to other plants, which have been reported to contain multiple forms of catalase, only one form of this enzyme was revealed when crude extracts were subjected to starch gel electrophoresis or to polyacrylamide disc-gel electrophoresis. Furthermore, catalases from leaves, stems and cotyledons were electrophoretically identical. 2) The leaf enzyme has been purified by conventional methods to apparent homogeneity. It has a molecular weight of 225 000 (ultracentrifuge) and is composed of four identical subunits of molecular weight 54 000 (sodium dodecylsulphate gel electrophoresis). The ratio A280/A405 of the pure enzyme was found to be 1.5. The isoelectric point is at pH 5.5. The enzyme, very labile at pH-values below 7.0, is stable in Tris chloride and potassium phosphate buffers between pH 7.5 and 9.5. It is slowly inactivated by 1mM dithiothreitol and is rapidly inactivated by 1mM mercaptoethanol. 3) The catalase was shown to be the major protein component of the peroxisomal matrix. It could not be detected at the membranes of the leaf peroxisomes.