BLOCKING FACTORS AND THE ISOLATION OF GLUTATHIONE TRANSFERASES FROM HYMENOLEPIS-DIMINUTA (CESTODA, CYCLOPHYLLIDEA)

Four acidic glutathione (GSH) transferase forms were isolated from the cytosol of the adult cestode Hymenolepis diminuta by hydroxylapatite chromatography, glutathione-affinity chromatography and chromatofocusing, pH 7–5. The enzymes were dimers of subunit size approximately 24 kDa and accounted for at least 3 % of the total soluble protein. The major GSH transferase had limited catalytic activity but may interact with a range of ligands and function as a binding/passive detoxification protein. An endogenous factor interfered with the binding of the crude cytosolic GSH transferase activity to glutathione-dependent affinity matrices but, following partial purification, the GSH transferase activity successfully interacted with the glutathione affinity matrix. © 1990, Cambridge University Press. All rights reserved.