[Biological properties of the alpha-mannanase of Rhodococcus erythropolis].

When Rhodococcus erythropolis is cultivated under the submerged conditions in a medium containing yeast mannan as a sole carbon source, it synthesizes exocellular alpha-mannanase which hydrolyzes alpha-1,2 and alpha-1,3 bonds in a mannan molecule. The alpha-mannanase of R. erythropolis exerts distinct lectin properties under the conditions which entirely exclude its enzyme activity.