DECOMPOSITION OF ALGINIC ACID BY MICROORGANISMS-V
ON THE ALGINASE OF VIBRIO SP. SO-20 STRAIN
1961 Volume 27 Issue 4 Pages 342-347
Details
1961 Volume 27 Issue 4 Pages 342-347
The present paper deals with the alginase action of the alginic acid decomposing bacteria, Vibrio sp. SO-20 strain, reported in the previous paper.
The results are summarized as follows:
1) The bacteria produced adaptively an enzyme, “alginase”, when grown on the synthetic medium containing alginic acid as a source of carbon. The crude enzyme was prepared from three day's culture on such medium.
2) The enzyme was found to belong to a so-called halophylic enzyme.
3) The optimum pH of the enzyme was 7.0-7.2.
4) The enzyme seems to be similar to “algin depolymerase” reported by EPPLEY and LASKER; in the alginase reaction a remarkable decrease of viscosity was observed before a small quantity of reducing sugar slightly appeared.
5) From the paper-chromatograph of the end-products of the alginase reaction, it was found that the enzyme hydrolyzed alginic acid to some oligouronides but not to free mannuronic acid.
