1. Canine high-molecular-weight renin (mol. wt. 60 000) is believed to be a complex of renin (low-molecular-weight form, mol. wt. 40 000) and renin-binding substance. The immunocross-reactivity of high-molecular-weight renin and low-molecular-weight renin was demonstrated by using antibodies specific to low-molecular-weight renin.
2. Immunoaffinity chromatography with renin-specific antibodies coupled to Sepharose provided a simple and specific method for isolation of high-molecular-weight renin. High-molecular-weight renin with a specific activity of 137 600 ng of ANG I h−1 mg−1 of protein (19.6 Goldblatt units/mg of protein) was obtained.
3. This high-molecular-weight renin was stable in dithiothreitol (25 mmol/l), suggesting that disulphide bonds may not be involved in the binding mechanism between low-molecular-weight renin and renin-binding substance.
4. However, exposure to low pH (3.0) resulted in conversion of high-molecular-weight renin into the low-molecular-weight form.
