Variability in the activity of bacterial enzymes

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Abstract
Considerable variation in the activity of dehydrogenases is exhibited by standardized suspensions of washed bacterial cells grown for different periods of time. This variation is not dependent upon the number of viable cells present, even with the amino-acid and sugar enzymes. It seems most directly connected with the phase of growth of the bacterial population at the time the cells are harvested. During the lag phase the cell appears to be in a state of structural fluctuation which results in the development within the cell of dehydrogenase systems of high activity, which activity reaches a maximum during the logarithmic phase; but usually falls off towards the end of this phase and continues to decline during the stationary and subsequent phases of growth.

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