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J Bacteriol. 1961 September; 82(3): 354-358
Copyright ©, 1961, The Williams & Wilkins Company. All Rights Reserved.

GLUTAMIC DECARBOXYLASE OF ERGOT, CLAVICEPS PURPUREA

Department of Chemistry and Science Research Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon

ABSTRACT

ANDERSON, JOHN A. (Oregon State University, Corvallis), VERNON H. CHELDELIN, AND TSOO E. KING. Glutamic decarboxylase of ergot, Claviceps purpurea. J. Bacteriol. 82:354–358. 1961.—L-Glutamic acid is the only naturally occurring amino acid which can be decarboxylated by cell-free extracts of Claviceps purpurea. This decarboxylase was partially purified and the properties of the enzyme studied.

The specific activity of the purified preparation was 111 µliters per 10 min per mg of protein. The products formed, stability, inhibition, stimulation of activity with pyridoxal phosphate, and pH activity curve were typical of L-glutamic decarboxylase in Escherichia coli and other microorganisms.

The substrate constants at pH 4.6, 5.25, and 5.65 were 0.0169 M, 0.0174 M, and 0.0139 M, respectively. The respective maximal velocities at these pH values were 104, 104, and 90 µliters per 10 min.

The pH optimum was 4.8 to 5.2. The enzyme was unstable below pH 4.5 and it was suggested that the fall in activity at the lower end of the pH curve was due to inactivation of the enzyme.

The decrease in activity above pH 5.2 did not appear to be due to a change in affinity of enzyme for substrate but to a change of the enzyme-substrate complex into an inactive form.