MODE AND EXTENT OF DEGRADATION OF ADENOSINE AND GUANOSINE BY EXTRACTSOF ASPERGILLUS-TERRICOLA

The mode of degradation of adenosine by extracts of Aspergillus terric ola was suggested to be affected preliminary by adenosine deaminase to inosine and the resulting ribonucleoside was then degraded hydrolytic ally to give hypoxanthine and ribose. With regard to guanosine, the sa me extracts could initially catalyze the hydrolytic cleavage of guanos ine to guanine and ribose. The resulting base was then deaminated to g ive xanthine by guanine deaminase. Addition of arsenate to the reactio n mixture or dialyzing the extract did not affect the observed hydroly tic activity indicating the absence of phosphorylase activity or phosp horylase-phosphatase activities in the extracts.