[Effect of nitrogen sources on growth and cholesterol decomposing activity of Mycobacterium rubrum and Achromobacter canadicans].

The effect of 12 sources of nitrogen on growth and cholesterine-decomposing activity was studied with Mycobacterium rubrum and Achromobacter candicans. The yield of biomass and the rate of cholesterine decomposition depended on the source of nitrogen and its concentration in the medium. The highest specific activity of the enzyme decomposing cholesterine was found during growth of the cultures on media containing reduced forms of nitrogen. The activity of the enzyme of Mycobacterium rubrum was by 25% higher than that of Achromobacter candicans. The optimum conditions for the production of the enzyme by Mycobacterium rubrum were on media containing 1.0 g of asparagine or 5.0 g of ammonium nitrate per one litre, and for the enzyme production by Achromobacter candicans, on media containing 5.0 g of ammonium phosphate per one litre.