Purification and some Properties of the Lytic Enzyme from Bacillus R-4 which Acts on Rhizopus Cell Wall

Abstract

A lytic activity on cell wall of Rhizopus species which was shown by culture filtrate of Bacillus R-4 was separated into two fractions (Fraction I and II) with the lytic activity by means of SP-Sephadex column chromatography.
The lytic activity of the Fraction II was twice as strong as that of the Fraction I and the lytic action pattern on Rhizopus cell wall of the mixture of these fractions was similar to that of the crude enzyme preparation.
The Fraction I was recognized as a kind of proteolytic enzyme and was purified as a ultracentrifugally and electrophoretically homogeneous preparation.
On the other hand, the Fraction II was a kind of carbohydrolase which acted on glycol chitosan and liberated hexosamine from Rhizopus cell wall accompanying the lysis.