PURIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF CELL WALL-ASSOCIATED N-ACETYLMURAMYL-L-ALANINE AMIDASE FROM ALKALIPHILIC BACILLUS-LENTUS C-125

Cells of the facultative alkaliphile Bacillus sp, C-125 grown at neutr al pH autolyze rapidly in alkaline buffers of pH 9-10, Alkaline autoly tic activity has been found mainly in the tell wall fraction, A peptid oglycan lytic enzyme nas extracted from the cell wall fraction suspend ed in 4 M LiCl, Tile enzyme was identified as N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanin e amidase, with a molecular mass of 58 kDa, At low salinity, the enzym e formed an aggregate of high molecular mass, The peptidoglycan lytic reaction of this enzyme happened at pH 9.0-10.5 at 37 degrees C, Optim um pH for the reaction was 9.7-10.0, The enzyme was most active at 60 degrees C when assayed st pH 9.0.