The influence of arsenate and arsenite on the enzymic breakdown of phosphoric acid esters

Abstract

The rate of liberation of inorganic phosphate from glycerophosphate and hexosediphosphate through the action of several enzyme preparations was studied in relation to the influence of varying conc. of arsenate and arsenite ions, using Bacillus subtilis, B. lactis aerogenes, Clostridium acetobutylicum, Propionibacterium jensenii, yeast, taka-diastase, pig kidney and ox erythrocytes. No evidence was obtained that the activity of phosphatases in general was increased by arsenate or arsenite. The observations supported the hypothesis that the increased enzymic liberation of phosphate under the influence of these ions is due to an effect exercised at some stage of the breakdown of the organic portion of the phosphoric acid ester. Fluoride in suitable conc. reduced the arsenate effect, probably through the formation of a complex ion.