Enzyme Studies

H.M. Kalisz, Freiburg, FRG: Microbial Proteinases. Proteinases play an important role as reagents in laboratory and clinical analyses and in industrial processes. The discovery of new, highly specific proteinases and improved enzyme technology, such as immobilisation and novel purification methods, should make the microbial enzymes even more attractive in biotechnology. M. Maestracci, K. Bui, A. Thiery, A. Arnaud, P. Galzy, Montpellier, France: The Amidase from a Brevibacterium Strain: Study and Applications. In the first part of this paper different microbial enzyme systems able to hydrolyze the true amide function are reviewed. Following consideration of analytical techniques (NMR, GLC, TLC, colorimetric assay of the ammonium ion) useful in the study of amidases, the second part of the paper deals with the amidases of Brevibacterium sp. R312 and their applications.