A sensitive automated method for adenosine triphosphatase kinetics

An automated method for measuring adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity is described. A modified version of a Technicon Autoanalyzer utilizing a sensitive colourimetric technique for determining inorganic phosphate concentrations (1 nmol/ml) allows investigations on enzymes of low specific activities. Dialysis may be used for measuring tissue homogenate activities or bypassed by examining purified enzyme preparations. When combined with a gradient apparatus, the proposed technique is particularly well suited for the study of enzyme kinetics in relation to cation or anion concentrations.