PRODUCTION OF HEPARINASE BY BACTEROIDES

Abstract

A species of Bacteriodes, normally a predominant organism in human stool, has been isolated and found to degrade heparin. In pure cultures and on ordinary media, the organism grows poorly. However, growth of this strict anaerobe can be enhanced by catalse or sterile filtrates of Escherichia coli. An extract prepared from Bacteroides grown on heparin-containing medium possessed enzymes capable of degrading this substrate, chondroitin sulfate, and potassium hyaluronate. Some of the chemical and biological properties of the heparinase system are described and the results suggest that several enzymes are involved in the cleavage of heparin. Extracts from organisms grown in the absence of heparin had no detectable heparinase activity but these preparations were found to degrade chondroitin sulfate and potassium hyaluronate.