Rapid detection of ornithine transcarbamylase activity by micellar electrokinetic chromatography.

A quantitative ultraviolet detection method for determining ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC-ase) activity using micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) is described. The method is based on the direct determination of citrulline formed upon enzymatic reaction. Using a background electrolyte consisting of 35 mM sodium tetraborate, pH 9.3, containing 65 mM sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), the peak of citrulline in the electropherogram was easily identified and integrated. This allowed us to determine the rate of formation of the reaction product and to calculate the kinetic parameter Km of the OTC-ase investigated. The capillary electrophoretic method developed was applied to the determination of OTC-ase activity in plasma samples for citrulline in the nanogram range.