1. A crude enzyme preparation from
Bac. Fulminans or from
Bac. Cereus O(H) contained O(H)- and Le
b-decomposing enzymes, and when applied on an O(H)+, Le(a±b+) substance, destroyed O(H) and Le
b activity together with enhancing Le
a activity. But when applied on an O(H)+, Le(a±b-) substance, it only destroyed O(H) activity without enhancing Le
a activity. When, however, the O(H)+, Le(a±b+) substance was incubated with purified preparation from
Bac. Fulminans, which contained only the O(H)-decomposing enzyme, abolishment of O(H) activity alone was observed, but not enhancement of Le
a activity.
These results seem to indicate the following with regard the process of formation of blood group substances: From a precursor substance are individually developed O(H) and Le
a substance, and on the basis of O(H) substance are formed A and B substance, and on the basis of Le
a substance is formed Le
b substance.
However, when the crude enzyme preparation from
Bac. Fulminans or from
Bac. Cereus O(H) was applied on OLe(a-b+) red cells, it was difficult to recognize appearance of Le
a activity, though O(H) and Le
b activity were abolished.
2. When the A-decomposing enzyme from
Cl. Tertium and the B-decomposing enzyme from
Cl. Maebashi were applied on A and B substance or red cells with Le
b activity, respectively, slight increase in Le
b activity was observed together with enhancement of O(H) activity. When AB substance or AB red cells were incubated with both the A- and B-decomposing enzymes, these were transformed into a substance or red cells having O(H) activity nearly to the same degree as that of O(H) substance or O red cells.
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