Tryptophan synthase was purified from Xaccharomyces cerevisiae with the aid of affinity chromatography up to a specific activity of 525 units/g protein. Electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gel showed one main protein component. Gel filtration on Sephadex G-150 indicates an average molecluar weight of 143 000. Dissociation with dodecylsulfate followed by dodecylsulfate-acrylamide gcl electrophoresis leads to the conclusion that the enzyme is probably cornposed of four subunits of equal size. The Km-values with respect to its substrates indoleglycerol phosphate, indole and L-serine were estimated. L-Serine was shown to increase the K,-value for indoleglycerol phosphate about 7-fold. Several indole analogues inhibit the tryptophan synthase reaction (B) (i.e. indole + serine --f tryptophan); indoleacrylic acid is the most effective. The pH-optimum of tryptophan synthase is around 6.9 to 7.0. Sulfhydryl modification by 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) and p-chloromercuriphenylsulfonic acid results in a large loss of tryptophan synthase activity, which cannot be prevented by the substrates L-serine and indole. The tryptophan synthase inactivating system from yeast affects the catalysis of both reactions (A) (i.e. indoleglycerol phosphate + indole + glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate) and (B).Tryptophan synthase (L-serine hydrolyase, adding indole) catalyzes the final reaction in tryptophan hiosynthesis :In all microorganisms in which i t has been studied, the enzyme is also capable of catalyzing the following two half reactions [ 11 :Indole-glycerol-P -+ Indole + n-glyceraldehyde-3-P.Pyridoxal phosphate is required as a coenzyme in reactions (AB) and (B). The Escherichia coli and Neurospora crassa enzymes appear to convert indoleglycerol phosphate to tryptophan (the sum of reactions A and B) without releasing free indole from the enzymc [2,3]. This mechanism predominates also with the Xaccharomyces cerevisiae enzyme, but significant amounts of free indole are also formed [4]. In bacteria tryptophan synthase can bc dissociated Abbreviations. 5,5'-Dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid), Nbs,; p-chloromercuriphenylsulfonic acid, pCI-HgBzOH.Enzymes. Tryptophan synthase (or r,-serine hydrolyase (adding indole) (EC 4.2.1.20). __.-readily and reversibly into two distinct components designated A and B [l], the A protein catalyzing reaction (A), the B protein reaction (B). The rates of reactions catalyzed by the individual components, however, are, in general, much lower than that catalyzed by the AB complex. In contrast, the enzyme from the fungus Neurospora is not dissociable and acts only as the whole unit, though i t is composed of two pairs of polypeptide chains [5,6].Genetic studies have been carried out [4] with the fungus S. cerevisiae pertainent to the structure of tryptophan synthase and its reaction mechanism. It was shown also by Manney 17 J and by Katsunuma et al. [S] that the yeast enzyme is inactivated in an enzymatic process. The inactivating system consists of two proteolytic enzymes and associated inhibitors [9,9a,Bb]. Th...