Neuraminidase Activity inDiplococcus pneumoniae

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Abstract
Kelly, R. T. (Marquette University School of Medicine, Milwaukee, Wis.), D.Greiff, and S. Farmer. Neuraminidase activity inDiplococcus pneumoniae. J. Bacteriol.91:601–603. 1966.—A method for the quantitation of neuraminidase in the presence ofN-acetylneuraminic acid aldolase is described. The neuraminidase content ofDiplococcus pneumoniaewas found to be dependent on the media employed for growth; the highest enzyme activity per milligram of bacterial protein was obtained with Todd-Hewitt broth. Neuraminidase production was stimulated inD. pneumoniaeby the addition ofN-acetylneuraminlactose,N-acetylneuraminic acid, orN-acetylmannosamine to the growth medium. Three rough strains ofD. pneumoniae, which were nonpathogenic for mice, lacked neuraminidase activity. Seven of 12 smooth strains contained neuraminidase; enzyme activity was not detected in the remaining 5 smooth strains. There was no correlation between the presence of neuraminidase activity and the capsular type or between neuraminidase production and animal virulence.