[Cholesterol breakdown by enzyme preparations extracted from Streptomyces lavendulae].

Cholesterol was decomposed by 75-90% during two hours by enzyme preparations from the disintegrated mycelium of Streptomyces lavendulae. The effect of concentrations of cholesterol and protein on the decomposition of cholesterol by the enzyme was studied; the higher the content of protein in a sample, the more rapidly cholesterol is decomposed; the rate of cholesterol decomposition increases with a decrease of its concentration. The optimum pH is 7.5-9.0. After dialysis and lyophilization, the activity of the enzyme preparations remains the same during two weeks, and then decreases by a factor of 1.5-2 in the course of the following thirty days.