Zinc activated tartrate resistent phosphatases in the brains of different animal species and their characterization

A zinc activated tartrate resistent phosphatase (ZnTP) of the brain of different animal species was separated by electrofocusing in polyacrylamide gels. It is demonstrable selectively in the presence of 20 mM zinc acetate and 10 mM D,L-sodium tartrate or of 100 mM zinc acetate only. The ZnTP hydrolyzes 1-naphthyl phosphate and 4-nitrophenyl phosphate, respectively. High activity of ZnTP is evident in the brains of rats and rabbits. The activity is moderate or absent in the brains of mice, syrian-hamsters, sheeps, cats, rhesus monkeys, and of human beings. The isoelectric points of the enzyme from the various species are different, but the molecular weight is identical (65 000 estimated by gelfiltration on Sephadex G 100 in the brain of rat, rabbit, syrian-hamster, and man). A method of quantitative evaluation of ZnTP activity is described.