[N-Acetyl-beta-hexosaminidases. Present knowledge regarding chemical characterization and genetic relationships (author's transl)].

In recent years considerable attempts have been directed towards the chemical characterization of lysosomal hexosaminidases. Hexosaminidase A had been shown to be a heterotetramer: alpha2 beta2 and hexosaminidase B a homotetramer: beta4. Studies of GM2 gangliosidosis supported this theory, in fact alpha and beta chains require genes on different chromosomes.