Multiplicity of brain cysteine sulfinic acid decarboxylase — Purification, characterization and subunit structure

Cysteine sulfinic acid decarboxylase (CSAD), the rate-limiting enzyme in taurine biosynthesis, appears to be present in the brain in multiple isoforms. Two distinct forms of CSAD, referred to as CSAD I and CSAD II, were obtained on Sephadex G-100 column. CSAD I and CSAD II differ in (1) the elution profile on Sephadex G-100 column; (2) the sensitivity towards Mn2+, methione, and other sulfur-containing amino acids and (3) their immunologic properties. CSAD II has been purified to about 2,500-fold by a combination of column chromatographies and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). The purity of the enzyme preparation was established as judged from the following observations: (1) a single protein band was observed under various electrophoretic conditions, e.g., 5–20% nondenaturing PAGE, 7% nondenaturing PAGE and 10% SDS-PAGE and (2) in nondenaturing PAGE, the protein band comigrated with CSAD activity. CSAD II has a molecular weight of 90 kDa and is a homodimer consisting of two 43 ± 2 kDa subunits. CSAD appears to require Mn2+ for its maximum activity. Other divalent cations fail to replace Mn2+ in activation of CSAD activity. However, the precise role of Mn2+ in the action of CSAD remains to be determined.