Two arylmannosidases (signified as A and B) were purified to homogeneity from soluble and microsomal fractions of mung bean seedlings. Arylmannosidase A from the microsomes appeared the same on native gels and on SDS gels as soluble arylmannosidase A, the same was true for arylmannosidase B. Sedimentation velocity studies indicated that both enzymes were homogeneous, and that arylmannosidase A had a molecular mass of 237 kd while B had a molecular mass of 243 kd. Arylmannosidase A showed two major protein bands on SDS gels with molecular masses of 60 and 55 kd, and minor bands of 79, 39 and 35 kd. All of these bands were N-linked since they were susceptible to digestion by endoglucosaminidase H. In addition, at least the major bands could be detected by Western blots with antibody raised against the xylose moiety of N-linked plant oligosaccharides, and they could also be labeled in soybean suspension cells with [2-3H]mannose. Arylmannosidase B showed three major bands with molecular masses of 72, 55 and 45 kd, and minor bands of 42 and 39 kd. With the possible exception of the 45 and 42 kd bands, all of these bands are glycoproteins. Arylmannosidases A and B showed somewhat different kinetics in terms of mannose release from high-mannose oligosaccharides, but they were equally susceptible to inhibition by swainsonine and mannostatin A. Polyclonal antibody raised against the arylmannosidase B cross-reacted equally well with arylmannosidase A from mung bean seedlings and with arylmannosidase from soybean cells. However, monoclonal antibody against mung bean arylmannosidase A was much less effective against arylmannosidase B. Antibody was used to examine the biosynthesis and structure of the carbohydrate chains of arylmannosidase in soybean cells grown in [2-3H]mannose. Treatment of the purified enzyme with Endo H released approximately 50% of the radioactivity, and these labeled oligosaccharides were of the high-mannose type, i.e. mostly Man9GlcNAc. The precipitated protein isolated from the Endo H treatment still contained 50% of the radioactivity, and this was present in modified structures that probably contain xylose residues.