The hydrolysis of monolayers of phosphatidyl-[Me−¹⁴C]choline by phospholipase D

1. The hydrolysis of monolayers of phosphatidyl[Me−¹⁴C]choline at the air/water interface by phospholipase D (phosphatidylcholine phosphatidohydrolase) was investigated by a surface-radioactivity technique by using a flow counter. 2. Phosphatidylcholine of high specific radioactivity was prepared biosynthetically in good yield from [Me−¹⁴C]choline by using Saccharomyces cerevisiae. 3. At initial monolayer pressures between 12 and 25 dynes/cm. the hydrolysis occurred in two stages, an initial slow hydrolysis followed by a rapid hydrolysis. Below 3dynes/cm. and above 28dynes/cm. no enzymic hydrolysis of pure phosphatidylcholine monolayers could be detected. 4. The rapid hydrolysis was proportional to the enzyme concentration in the subphase, its pH optimum was 6·6, and 0·2mm-Ca²⁺ was required for maximal activity. 5. Hydrolysis of the film was accompanied by a pronounced fall in the surface pressure even though the phosphatidic acid formed did not leave the film. When the pressure fell to low values the hydrolysis ceased even if the film was only partially hydrolysed. 6. Above monolayer pressures of 28dynes/cm. enzymic hydrolysis could be initiated by inclusion of phosphatidic acid (and less effectively stearyl hydrogen sulphate) in the film, although the rates were not appreciably higher than those observed at 25dynes/cm. with a pure phosphatidylcholine film. 7. The initiation of the hydrolysis by phosphatidic acid was facilitated by the inclusion of high Ca²⁺ concentrations and certain carboxylic acid buffer anions in the subphase, although these did not activate by themselves. 8. The initiation of the hydrolysis at high pressures could not be related to any change in the surface potential brought about by the addition of the long-chain anions to the film, nor could it be ascribed to a surface dilution effect. 9. The results are discussed in relation to previous studies on the hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine particles by the enzyme and also similar investigations on phosphatidylcholine monolayers with other phospholipases.