On the Enzymes of certain Dermatophytes, or Ringworm Fungi

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Abstract
1. The enzymic activity was studied in the following Dermatophyte fungi: Sabouraudites radiolatus; S. lanosus; S. audouini; Trichophyton tonsurans; Grubyella schoenleinii. Both the normal and pleomorphic forms of S. radiolatus were studied comparatively.2. An active proteolytic enzyme is present in all the species. This enzyme is active in an alkaline medium and can hydrolyse intact proteins (casein) with the production of free amino-acids (tryptophane), and is very similar to trypsin in its behaviour.3. Pepsin is not present in any of these fungi.4. The amount of the proteolytic enzyme present varies in the different species, and it is particularly abundant in S. radiolatus.5. A keratolytic enzyme was not found in any of these fungi.6. A lipolytic enzyme, lipase, which readily splits tributyrin into fatty acids, is present in all the species. It is about equally strong in all of them.7. Urease is present in all, with the exception of T. tonsurans.8. None of them contains invertase, inulase, lactase or zymase.9. Maltase and diastase are present in all. They are strongest in S. lanosus and T. tonsurans and are weakest in S. radiolatus.10. The species with most proteolytic activity have least carbohydrases, and conversely.11. Amygdalase is present in all the species.12. The normal form of S. radiolatus has greater proteolytic activity than the pleomorphic form. The pleomorphic form has strong urease and amygdalase, both of which are very weak in the normal form. Otherwise the enzymic activity of the two forms is similar.

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