The identification of rat intestinal membrane enzymes after electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gels containing sodium dodecyl sulphate

Brush-border membranes were isolated from the rat small intestine and then treated with sodium dodecyl sulphate under non-reducing conditions at room temperature. Analysis of the solubilized components by polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis identified three major glycoproteins that co-migrate with glucoamylase-maltase-sucrase, lactase and isomaltase-maltase-sucrase activities. High activities of alkaline phosphatase and trehalase were detectable, but they could not be attributed to distinct co-migrating protein bands. Analysis of mucosa from the distal small intestine by the same methods showed a pattern of bands different from that obtained with the proximal intestine, which appeared to correlate with the relative deficiency of some of the enzymes in the distal region.