On Phenyletherase

Abstract

Injn. of methyl-p-nitroanisole and ethyl-p-nitrophenetole ethers of p-nitrophenol, and of p-nitrodiphenyl ethers in rats was followed by excretion of large amts. of p-nitrophenol and its "conjugates" in the urine. This must have involved a breakage of the C-0 bond of the ether linkage. Homogenates of rat kidney and liver but not of pancreas caused a definite though slight cleavage of these phenyl ethers. Pancreas was inactive; boiling the liver and kidney extracts destroyed their activity against phenyl ethers. This evidence indicated that the breakdown of phenyl ethers by rat tissue was enzymatic and the name phenyletherase was proposed for the enzyme.