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Distribution of Neuraminidase and N-Acetylneuraminate Lyase Activities Among Corynebacteria, Mycobacteria, and Nocardias

¹ Department of Microbiology, New York University Medical Center, New York, New York 10016, and Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea

ABSTRACT

In Corynebacterium diphtheriae and closely related neuraminidase-producing corynebacteria, we have found an N-acetylneuraminate (NAN) lyase activity which cleaves NAN into N-acetyl-D-mannosamine and, presumably, pyruvate. In vitro, these lyases can be shown to synthesize NAN. A survey of representative corynebacteria, "plant pathogenic corynebacteria," mycobacteria, and nocardias revealed that only those corynebacteria closely related to C. diphtheriae exhibited both neuraminidase and NAN lyase activities.