422 



CHEMISTRY OF PHOSPHATIDES AND CEREBROSIDES 



(Naja), the rattlesnake (firotalus), and the water-moccasin (Ancistrodon 

 piscivorus), causes the formation of lysolecithin, as described earher, by the 

 removal of the single unsaturated fatty acid residue from lecithin.^^ Fair- 

 bairn prefers the term phospholipase since this enzyme is not specific for 

 lecithin but acts also upon cephalin; however, it is without activity on 



0.22 



0.20 



0.18 



Q 0.16 



m 



-. 0.14 



« 0.12 

 o 



X 



o. 



0.10 



3.0 



4.0 



5.0 



6.0 



7.0 



8.0 



90 



Fig. 1. The relationship between the pH and the phosphate Uberated by 

 lecithinase with natural or synthetic lecithin as the substrate. ^"^ 



sphingomyelins, cerebrosides, lysophospholipids, and acetal phospho- 

 lipids.^" This enzyme has been crystalhzed by Slotta and Fraenkel- 

 Conrat^"^ from the venom of the Mexican rattlesnake (Crotalus terrificus), 

 as well as from cobra venom (Naja tri-pudians)}^^''^'^'^ Apparently leci- 

 thinase A is widely distributed in pancreas"^-"^ and in other tissues.*^* 



i»8 K. H. Slotta and H. L. Fraenkel-Conrat, Ber., A71, 1076-1081 (1938). 

 i»9 S. S. De, Ann. Biochem. Exptl. Med., 4, 45-56 (1944); Chem. Abst., 39, 3799 (1945). 

 "0 S. S. De, /. Indian Chem. Soc, 21, 290-294, 307-310 (1944); Chem. AbsL, 39, 4337 

 (1945). 



"1 K. Ogawa, J. Biochem. Japan, 24, 389-405 (1936); Chem. Abst, 31, 3078 (1937). 

 112 V. Gronchi, Sperimeniale, 90, 223-239, 262-280 (1936). 

 1" M. Francioli, Foincntjorschung, 14, 241-249 (1934). 



