FOLYLPOLYGLUTAMATE SYNTHETASE IN LACTOBACILLUS-LEICHMANNII - IN-VITROSYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF POLYGLUTAMYLFOLATES

In vitro synthesis of folylpolyglutamates by folypolyglutamate synthet ase from Lactobacillus leichmannii has been studied and optimal condit ions for enzyme activity determined. It is found that while ATP (5 mM) is essential for the synthesis of folylpolyglutamates homocysteine au gments the same. Replacement of vitamin B-12 (2 ng/ml) with deoxyuridi ne (20 mu g/ml) in growth medium does not alter the enzymatic paramete rs studied. DEAE-cellulose column chromatography of in vitro synthesis ed folylpolyglutamates indicates that folylpolyglutamate synthetase of L. leichmannii can synthesize polyglutamates up to a chain length of four glutamate residues.