INDUCTION, PURIFICATION AND UTILIZATION OF PURINE NUCLEOSIDE PHOSPHORYLASE AND URIDINE PHOSPHORYLASE FROM KLEBSIELLA SP

Klebsiella sp. LF 1202, previously isolated from soil assimilates aden osine as a sole source of carbon and nitrogen. The bacterium inducibly formed both purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNPase) and uridine phos phorylase (UPase), simultaneously, when cultured in adenosine-containi ng medium or uridine-containing medium. PNPase and UPase were purified to homogeneity on SDS-PAGE, and some properties were examined. Enzymi c production of 1-beta-D-ribofuranosyl-1, 2, 4,-triazole-3-carboxamide (Virazole), an anti-DNA virus pharmaceutical drug, was demonstrated u sing the combined reaction of both enzymes.