The biosynthesis of sulphogalactosyldiacylglycerol of rat brain in vitro

Triton X-100 extracts of rat brain microsomal fraction catalyse the formation of sulphogalactosyldiacylglycerol from galactosyldiacylglycerol and adenosine 3′-phosphate 5′-sulphatophosphate. Of the various subcellular fractions of brain assayed, the microsomal fraction contained most (79%) of the adenosine 3′-phosphate 5′-sulphatophosphate–galactosyldiacylglycerol sulphotransferase activity. The enzyme activity was stimulated by Triton X-100 and showed linearity with increasing time, concentrations of enzyme and added substrates. ATP and KF prolonged the linearity of the activity with time, but ATP had an overall inhibitory effect on the sulphotransferase. Both ATP and KF inhibit the degradation of adenosine 3′-phosphate 5′-sulphatophosphate, which probably causes the increased linearity of the sulphotransferase reaction with time. The enzyme preparation did not catalyse the transfer of sulphate from adenosine 3′-phosphate 5′-sulphatophosphate to either cholesterol or galabiosyldiacylglycerol (galactosylgalactosyldiacylglycerol). Significant differences between the formation of sulphogalactosyldiacylglycerol and cerebroside sulphate catalysed by the same enzyme preparation were noted. ATP and Mg2+ strongly inhibit the formation of sulphogalactosyldiacylglycerol but equally strongly stimulate the synthesis of cerebroside sulphate. The apparent Km for galactosyldiacylglycerol is 200μm, and that for cerebroside is 45μm. Galactosyldiacylglycerol and cerebroside are mutually inhibitory toward the synthesis of sulphated derivatives of each. These data do not necessarily lead to the conclusion that two sulphotransferases are present, but they do indicate a possible means of controlling the synthesis of these two sulpholipids.