DEGRADATION OF ACHARAN SULFATE AND HEPARIN BY BACTEROIDES STERCORIS HJ-15, A HUMAN INTESTINAL BACTERIUM

When glycosaminoglycan (GAG)-degrading enzymes were measured in normal human stool suspensions, all 5 tested different stools degraded titra ble heparin and acharan sulfate. GAG-degrading bacteria were screened from the isolates of human stools. Among them, HJ-15 had the most pote nt activities of heparinases (GAGs-degrading enzymes). However, HJ-15 produced the enzyme even if in the media without heparin. Acharan sulf ate lyase was induced by acharan sulfate and heparin. Heparinase produ ction was also induced by these GAGs. These enzymes, acharan sulfate l yase and heparinase, were produced in exponential and stationary phase of HJ-15 growth, respectively. Optimal pHs of the acharan sulfate lya se and heparinase activities were 7.2 and 7.5, respectively. The bioch emical properties of HJ-15 was similar to those of B. stercoris. Howev er, difference from B. stercoris was utilization of raffinose. This HJ -15 also degraded chondroitin sulfates A and C.