ABSTRACT
This chapter attempts to provide systematic and complete coverage of all phospholipases which have been purified from natural sources. Phospholipase enzymes by hydrolyzing membrane phosphatidal (PL) can drastically alter membrane structure and function. Common names of the snakes, bacteria, etc. are listed beside the species name which is indicated as the source of the phospholipase. Phospholipase enzymes also exert many direct and indirect actions on mammalian tissues due to PL hydrolysis, liberation of active hydrolytic products and due to effects independent of PL hydrolysis. The enzyme was purified from culture supernatant by precipitation with acetone and column chromatography on DEAE cellulose and Sephadex G 150. The enzyme was purified 190-fold by ammonium sulfate precipitation, Sephadex G-100 filtration and DEAE cellulose chromatography. The enzyme hydrolyzes 75% of PI in ox, sheep and cat erythrocyte ghosts with no effect on the major erythrocyte phospholipids.
