Detection and first characterization of a cell‐wall lytic activity in Chlorella ellipsoidea C‐27

Abstract
Cell wall lytic activity was detected in Chlorella ellipsoidea Gernick IAM C‐27 using the [14C]‐labeled cell wall as substrate. The highest activity was obtained at pH 8. and the solubilized product was a polysaccharide of high molecular weight. The lytic activity appeared to be a protease and did not hydrolyse glycosidic bonds of the cell wall polysaccharides. The activity probably solubilizes the cell wall by cleaving the peptide bonds that interconnect the polysaccharides of the cell wall.