Studies on sulphatases. 26. Arylsulphatase activity in the digestive juice and digestive gland of Helix pomatia

Abstract

A study was made of the properties of a highly active arylsulphatase present in the digestive juice and in extracts of the digestive gland of the edible snail, Helix pomatia. Within limits, the pH optimum of the enzyme shifts in the direction of higher pH as the concentration of substrate (either potassium p-nitrophenyl sulphate or dipotassium 2-hydroxy-5-nitrophenyl sulphate) is increased. Fractionation of the digestive juice under varying conditions with acetone or ammonium sulphate together with paper-electrophoresis experiments suggest that the pH shift cannot be attributed to the presence of more than one arylsulphatase in the enzyme preparation.