[The effect of pyridoxal phosphate on the tryptophanases of five species of Enterobacteriaceae].

Escherichia coli B and E. aurescens, Shigella alkalescens, and Proteus vulgaris et P. morganii tryptophanases (TPases) were studied for the spectral forms of the enzyme. The pH effect on the absorption spectrum and on the enzyme specific activity revealed that the coli group TPases are identical with but differ from Proteus TPases which differ themselves. The coli group TPases attach 4 mol of pyridoxal phosphate (PLP)/mol of enzyme, independently of the pH in the presence of K(plus) ions, and 9 mol of PLP/mol of enzyme must be reduced to achieve complete inactivation. The Proteus TPases attach 4 mol of PLP/mol of enzyme at PH 6.8, and 3 mol of PLP/mol of enzyme at pH 7.8 in K(plus) buffer. In P. morganii, 7 mol of PLP/mol of enzyme must be reduced to inactivate the enzyme, whereas P. vulgaris TPase cannot be completely inactivated by this method. These five TPases attach only 3 mol of PLP/mol of enzyme in a Na(plus) buffer, independently of the pH.