Mouse ileal alkaline phosphatase is a sialyl enzyme (12-14 moles per mole of enzyme). When partially desialylated by treatment with neuraminidase, the enzyme loses most of its activity, associated with reduced apparent Vmax and Km. Part of that loss, however, is recovered as the product 4-nitrophenol's concentration builds up in the cuvette. Experimental results are presented to demonstrate that the activation is due to the binding of 4-nitrophenol as a ligand by the partially desialylated enzyme and that both the loss of activity by sialic acid removal and activation by ligand-binding are correlated with changes in protein conformation.