A lipid transfer protein was isolated from bovine liver. Following the release of soluble proteins from liver microsomes, the transfer protein was purified 75-fold to near homogeneity by a combination of DEAE-celiulose ion exchange, Sephadex G-200 gel permeation, and hydroxylapatite chromatography. About 7% of the original activity was recovered. The purified fraction promoted the transfer of triglyceride, cholesteryl ester, phosphatidylcholine, and phosphatidylethanolamine. When the fractional rates of lipid transfer were compared, the transfer of apolar lipids was over 10 times faster than that of phospholipid. The purified transfer complex contained less than 5% lipid. No carbohydrate was detected.
Electrophoresis of the purified protein on polyacrylamide gels under non-denaturing conditions showed a single band. Elution of protein from slices of unstained gels showed that lipid transfer activities coincided with the position of the protein band on the stained gel. When the purified protein was etectrophoresed in the presence of SDS, two bands, accounting for more than 95% of the staining density, were observed with molecular weights at 58 000 and 88 000. The purified transfer protein eluted from a Sephadex G-200 column at a position corresponding to a protein with a molecular weight of 220 000, which probably represents a complex of two or more polypeptides.
The purified transfer protein was activated by increasing NaCI concentrations up to about 100 mM. At higher NaCI concentrations the transfer activity decreased. Maximal transfer activities were observed at pH 7. The protein was inactivated by heating above 50°C. The transfer rates were not greatly increased by changing the assay temperatures between 20°C and 50°C. These activity characteristics of the transfer protein were the same whether triglyceride or cholesteryl ester transfer activities were measured.