Phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC) was studied with sonicated dispersions of a thiophosphate analog of phosphatidylinositol, 1,2-dimyristoyloxypropane-3-thiophospho(1D-1-myo-inositol) (D-thio-DMPI). Kinetic parameters were derived from the rate as a function of bulk lipid concentration at constant saturating surface concentration of substrate (case I), and as a function of surface concentration of substrate at a constant saturating bulk concentration of lipid (case II). The substrate, D-thio-DMPI, was diluted with L-thio-DMPI or dimyristoyl phosphatidylmethanol (DMPM). In the presence of L-thio-DMPI, values for V-max = 133 mu mol min(-1) mg(-1), K-s' (the apparent dissociation constant for the enzyme-interface complex)= 0.097 mM, and K-m* (the apparent interfacial Michaelis constant) = 0.22 mol fraction were obtained. DMPM caused enzyme inhibition in case I but no inhibition in case II. L-Thio-DMPI is an ideal neutral diluent with which to study the kinetics of PI-PLC. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.