The diphosphoinositide kinase of rat brain

Abstract

1. The supernatant fraction of adult rat brain contains a diphosphoinositide kinase. 2. Formation of triphosphoinositide by the enzyme in the presence of ATP and Mg2+ ions was shown with labelled ATP or labelled diphosphoinositide. 3. The kinase was also activated by Ca2+, Mn2+ and Co2+ ions, but to a smaller extent than by Mg2+ ions. 4. In the presence of optimum Mg2+ ion concentration the enzyme was inhibited by Ca2+ ions. 5. Activity did not depend on thiol groups and the pH optimum was 7·3. 6. The dialysed supernatant fraction had no diglyceride kinase activity and negligible phosphatidylinositol kinase activity. 7. Triphosphoinositide phosphomonoesterase was present but showed little activity under the conditions used to assay the kinase. 8. Diphosphoinositide kinase was purified by ammonium sulphate fractionation, ethanol treatment and chromatography on Sephadex G-200. 9. This purification removed much of the triphosphoinositide phosphomonoesterase.