A fluorescent maleimide derivative, N-(4-anilino-l-naphthyl) maleimide (ANM), a specific probe for thiol groups, reacted with human placental glutathione transferase (GST, EC 2.5.1.18), causing a complete inactivation of the enzyme in a few minutes. The modified enzyme was denatured, alkylated and digested with (L-l-tosylamide-2-phenylethyl chloromethyl ketone)-trypsin. The tryptic digest was analysed by HPLC and a fluorescent peptide was obtained. The sequence of this peptide allowed us, by a comparison with a well known primary structure, to assign the position 47 to the most reactive cysteine of GST enzyme.

Five monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were produced in a mouse hybridoma system against human placental glutathione transferase (GST pi). Four of these monoclonal antibodies, named 461 to 464, were of immunoglobulin G class, whereas the monoclonal antibody 465 was of IgA class. All these MAbs specifically recognized the glutathione transferase from human placenta (class pi) showing no cross reactivity against the basic and the neutral forms of GST from human liver. When each MAb was incubated with the GST pi, no inhibition of enzymatic activity towards 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene was observed except for MAb 465 which showed a slight inhibition to a serial dilution of 1:128.