The genus Corynebacterium as presented in Bergy´s :Manual of Determinative Bacteriology is an assemblage of organisms often unrelated except on the basis of shape and some biochemical characteristics. Work and Cummins have s? own that certain members of the genus possess cell wall constituents in common with those found in the type species, C. diphtheriae. Author examined a number of strains for the distribution of Neuraninidase (N-acetyl neuraminate glvcohydrolase, NANase) which cleaves neuraminlactose to lactose and N-acetyl neuranninic acid.
Already Warren, Spearing, and Poulik have demonstrated the NANase activity in commercial diphtherial toxoid and anti-NANase in diphtherial antitoxin. iMoriyama et al have shown that diphtherial toxin and diphtherial Neura^.iinidase have similar molecular weights. and succeded in separating the NANase from diphtherial culture. It was also observed that in media in which the iron content was high enough to inhibit toxin production, NANase production was enhanced. Jaglielski has confir. med many of these results.
The author designed an experiment to observe the optimum conditions for NANase synthesis, influence of iron and diphtherial toxin on the NANase activity, relationships between lysogenicity and NANase activity, and NANase activity among genus Corynebacterium.
The results were summerized as follows;
1. The highest NANase activity ::as obtained at the logarithmic growth phase in the media containing Fe"5,ug/ml.
2. Diphtherial toxin and iron did not significantly influenced upon activity of the partially purified NANase.
3. No significant difference activity between lysogenic and nonlysogenic strain was recognized.
4. Strains of C. diphtheriae, C. belfanti, C. ulcerans, and C. ovis all yield good NANase activity; C. faciense, C. poinsettiae, C. betae, C. sepedonicum, C. equi, C. renale, C. minutissimum, C. pseudodiphthericum, C. pseudotuberculosis, C. xerosis showed no activity.
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