We prepared [3H]inositol-, 3-[32P]phosphateand 4-[32P]phosphate-labeled inositol phosphate substrates to investigate the metabolism of inositol 1,3,4-trisphosphate and inositol 1,4-bisphosphate. In crude extracts of calf brain, inositol 1,3,4-trisphosphate is first converted to inositol 3,4-bisphosphate, then the inositol 3,4-bisphosphate intermediate is further converted to inositol 3-phosphate. Similarly, inositol 1,4-bisphosphate is converted to inositol 4-phosphate, and no inositol 1-phosphate is formed. We partially purified an enzyme that we tentatively name inositol polyphosphate 1-phosphatase. This cytosolic enzyme converts inositol 1,3,4-trisphosphate to inositol 3,4-bisphosphate and also converts inositol 1,4-bisphosphate to inositol 4-phosphate. The enzyme does not utilize inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate, inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate, or inositol 1-phosphate as substrates.Thus we propose a new scheme for inositol phosphate metabolism. According to this pathway inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and inositol 1,4-bisphosphate are degraded to inositol 4-phosphate. Inositol 1-phosphate, which is the major inositol monophosphate formed in stimulated brain, is derived either from phospholipase C cleavage of phosphatidylinositol or from the degradation of inositol cyclic phosphates.Inositol phospholipids are membrane lipids that are rapidly metabolized in response to extracellular agonists to liberate several second messenger molecules and precursors of messenger molecules (for review, see refs. 1-3). A phospholipase C enzyme hydrolyzes all three inositol phospholipids (4) to yield mixtures of cyclic and noncyclic phosphate esters (5-7), namely, inositol 1-phosphate (Ins 1P), inositol 1,4-bisphosphate [Ins(1,4)P2], inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate [Ins(1,4,5)P3], and the (1:2) cyclic counterparts of each. The metabolism of the water-soluble inositol phosphates is complex. An inositol phosphate 5-phosphomonoesterase converts Ins(1,4,5)P3 and its cyclic counterpart to Ins(1,4)P2 (8-10) and cyclic inositol 1:2,4-bisphosphate (11), respectively. Additionally, Ins(1,4,5)P3 is metabolized to inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate [Ins(1,3,4,5)P4] by a 3-kinase and subsequently converted to a different inositol trisphosphate isomer, inositol 1,3,4-trisphosphate [Ins(1,3,4)P3], by the same 5-phosphomonoesterase (12-17).In the current study, we have investigated the further metabolism of Ins(1,3,4)P3 in crude extracts from calf brain utilizing substrates with radiolabels in the inositol ring, the 3-phosphate, or the 4-phosphate. We find that inositol 3,4-bisphosphate [Ins(3,4)P2] is the first product formed from Ins(1,3,4)P3. In addition, we find that the enzyme that utilizes this substrate also converts Ins(1,4)P2 to inositol 4-phosphate (Ins 4P). Based on these results, a new pathway for inositol phosphate metabolism is proposed. (21). Dowex Chromatography of Inositol Phosphates. Reaction mixtures were diluted to 1 ml with H20 containing 50 nmol Pi and poured onto a 1.5 x 11 cm Dowex-formate column equilibrated in 50...