Phylogenetic Distribution of Acid Phosphatase inhibited by (+)-Tartrate

Abstract

AN interesting stereo-specific inhibition by (+)-tartaric acid of certain acid phosphatases of human origin has been reported by Abul-Fadl and King¹. We have had occasion in our work to note, as certainly many others must have, that inhibition by (+)-tartrate is a property which extends to other mammalian phosphatases. On the other hand, we have observed that none of a number of acid phosphatases present in crude extracts obtained from higher plants was preferentially inhibited by this substance. On further investigation of acid phosphatases of both plant and animal sources, we have consistently found the property of specific inhibition by (+)-tartrate to be associated with those organisms which are universally accepted as members of the animal kingdom, whereas those which are customarily regarded as plants invariably did not possess such an enzyme. In view of this sharp division, it became of interest to examine the protists, and these results are shown in Table 1, along with those obtained with bona fide ‘plants’ and ‘animals’. Only a few examples of the many which are available for the higher plants and animals are given. We have listed all the lower forms of plants and animals and of the protists which we have been able to test (except a number of bacteria, all of which were negative).