TISSUE-CHARACTERISTIC FORMS OF ADENOSINE DEAMINASE

The starch gel electrophoresis of human tissue preparations results in multiple adenosine deaminase bands. The in vitro interconversion of the different bands or the formation of new ones, and the effects of the starch gel in the medium, suggest that the different bands represent different forms of the same enzyme, rather than different primary structures. The patterns obtained vary among different tissues, but the same type of tissue always exhibits the same characteristic pattern. This indicates that the different patterns are due to different chemical environments of the tissues, rather than artifacts introduced during the run. The results suggest the possibility of enzyme control by conformational changes. © 1969.