Galactosyltransferase activities in rat intestinal mucosa. Inhibition of nucleotide pyrophosphatase.

Nucleotide pyrophosphatase, a Zn2+-dependent enzyme catalyzing the hydrolysis of sugar nucleotides, generally interferes with glycosyltransferase assays. Certain tissues such as intestinal mucosa are particularly rich sources of nucleotide pyrophosphatase activity. The inhibition of nucleotide pyrophosphatase without affecting glycosyltransferase activities by the removal of Zn2+ allows for the assay of galactosyltransferases in rat intestinal particulate fractions. Inactivation of nucleotide pyrophosphatase was achieved by preincubation of particulate enzyme preparations in the presence of EDTA. Addition of Mn2+, required for the galactosyltransferase assays, did not reactivate the nucleotide pyrophosphatase. The presence of 0.05% (w/v) soybean trypsin inhibitor was required during the preparation of intestinal mucosa homogenates and enzyme assays to protect the UDP-galactose: N-acetylglucosaminyl galactosyltransferase from inactivation.