THE PROTEOLYTIC ENZYMES OF MICROORGANISMS: V. EXTRACELLULAR PEPTIDASES PRODUCED BY FUNGI GROWN IN SUBMERGED CULTURE

Abstract

The culture media from selected fungi grown in submerged culture have been shown to contain enzymes capable of hydrolyzing some synthetic dipeptides and their derivatives. Readily measurable amounts of aminopeptidase, carboxypeptidase, and dipeptidase activity were found, and differences between the systems elaborated by different organisms were observed. The most rapid hydrolysis of N-cbzo-α-L-glutamyl-L-glutamic acid (I) and of N-cbzo-α-L-glutamyl-DL-alanine (II) by Gliocladium roseum PRL 86 occurred at pH 4.8 to 4.9. I was hydrolyzed most rapidly by Alternariatenuis PRL 369 at pH 4.7. The activation energies for the hydrolysis of I by PRL 369 and of II by PRL 86 were found to be 11,000 and 15,000 calories per mole, respectively. The activation energy for the hydrolysis of I by PRL 86 was estimated as being between 10,000 and 13,000 calories per mole.