An enzyme catalyzing the liberation of N-acetylglucosamine from N-acetylglucosaminyl pyrophosphorylpolyprenol in Bacillus polymyxa membranes.

A novel enzyme which specifically hydrolyzes N-acetylglucosaminyl pyrophosphorylpolyprenol to liberate N-acetylglucosamine was found in membranes of Bacillus polymyxa AHU 1385. The enzyme seems to be inactive toward alpha-N-acetylglucosaminyl phosphorylundecaprenol, beta-N-acetylglucosaminyl phosphorylundecaprenol, N-acetylglucosamine 1-phosphate, N-acetylglucosamine 1-pyrophosphate, or UDP-N-acetylglucosamine. Much lower activities of the same enzyme were also found in membranes of several other strains of Bacilli.