Abstract
Bacteria capable of producing N-acetylneuraminate lyase (N-acetylneuraminic acid aldolase, EC 4.1.3.3) were sought by using a culture medium containing N-acetylneuraminic acid as a sole source of carbon. The enzyme was found to be distributed in a veriety of bacteria belonging to such genera as Pseudomonas, Escherichia, Aerobacter, Proteus, Micrococcus, Sarcina, Brevibacterium, Corynebacterium, Arthrobacter, Bacillus and Bacterium. No bacteria secreted the enzyme into the medium. Substantially N-acetylneuraminate lyase of bacteria seems to be an intracellular enzyme.
Potent N-acetylneuraminate lyase activities were detected in all of the strains belonging to Escherichia such as E. coli, E. freundii and E. intermedia. There was no difference in the enzyme production between a strain of E. coli which had the ability to produce colominic acid and one which had lost the ability.
