Detection of ammonia-producing enzymes after electrophoresis: a screening procedure for adenosine deaminase in blood [proceedings].

Three ammonia-producing enzymes were selected for study, namely adenosine deaminase (adenosine aminohydrolase, EC 3.5.4.4), AMP deaminase (AMP aminohydrolase, EC 3.5.4.6) and urease (urea amidohydrolase, EC 3.5.1 3). Activities were detected after each enzyme preparation was subjected to electrophoresis on both starch gel and cellulose acetate strips. Adenosine deaminase activity had been detected in this laboratory previously after electrophoresis in both media (E. Tully & L. Walshe, unpublished work, cited by Brady & O’Connell, 1962; Noonan, 1972). The method used a simple acid-base colour change in the indicator Phenol Violet. In the present study the colour change resulting from adenosine deaminase activity was used as a control to assess the applicability of the procedure to the detection of other ammonia-producing enzymes.