Opposite effects of EGTA and neutral surfactants on the loss of chicken pineal serotonin N-acetyltransferase activity.

The effects of some general purpose drugs on the deactivation and activity measurement of the chicken pineal gland enzyme serotonin N-acetyl transferase (EC 2.3.1.5.) were studied. The drugs used were EGTA and two neutral surfactants, Nonidet P40 and Triton X-100. Enzyme activity showed significant variations ranging from 2.8 +/- 1.3 nmol/gland/h when Nonidet P40 was added to the homogenate buffer, to 31.8 +/- 1.7 nmol/gland/h when EGTA was present. This striking variation seemed to be caused by the ability of these compounds to modify the rate of NAT deactivation acting either as accelerating agents, as in the case of the detergents or as braking agent, as in the case of EGTA.