Glutathione-S-transferase (GST) was isolated from the northern hardshell clam
Mercinaria mercinaria (quahog) using a two-step procedure involving ammonium sulfate precipitation and affinity chromatography. Kinetic analysis
of the purified enzyme using 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene as substrate revealed a specific activity of 38.0 μmol min
−1 mg
−1, while
V
max and
K
m
values were estimated as 48.0 μmol min
−1 mg
−1 and 0.24 mM, respectively. Electrophoretic analysis of GST indicated multiple forms of the dimeric enzyme in quahogs with
subunit molecular masses of 22, 24, 25, and 27 kDa. Isoelectric focusing analysis resulted in pI values for three isoenzymes
of 5.1, 4.9, and 4.6. The acidic pI values obtained indicated that quahog GST belongs to the π class. Inhibition of quahog
GST by tetrapyrroles was similar to that of GST from oyster and rat liver. Quantitative comparison of tetrapyrrole inhibition
patterns of quahog GST with those of oyster and rat liver GST indicated lower inhibition rates by three of the four tetrapyrroles
tested (bilirubin, biliverdin, and chlorophillyin), suggesting that quahog GST could differ structurally or functionally from
oyster and rat liver GSTs.
Key words: glutathione-S-transferase, hard clam, Mercinaria mercinaria, quahog
Received March 17, 1998; accepted August 18, 1998.