Differentiation of Muramidase and -Lysin

Abstract

Summary Although β-lysin and muramidase are similar in their bacterial spectrum, heat stability, and adsorption by bentonite on an asbestos-cellulose filter pad of the Seitz type, they differ in other respects. β-lysin is relatively more effective as a bactericidal agent for Bacillus subtilis than for Micrococ-cus lysodeikticus. This quantitative relationship is reversed with muramidase. Unlike muramidase, purified β-lysin did not reduce the optical density of killed suspensions of bacteria, Anti-β-lysin serum did not neutralize the bactericidal activity of muramidase. Serum β-lysin and muramidase were separated by gel filtration with a Sephadex G-75 column.