[The detection of proteolytic enzymes in the culture broth of Mollicutes].

Four strains of mollicutes different in their role in pathology of people, animals and plants have been studied to detect general proteolytic (caseinolytic) activity with results presented. Proteolytic activity was determined both in the deposited proteins and in supersediment liquids under suturation with ammonium sulphate of 55 and 80%, respectively. Maximum proteolytic activity was observed in supersediment liquids. It was 137.2 E per 1 mg of protein in M. fermentans PG-18; 106.2 in A. laidlawii PG-8; 61.8 in A. laidlawii var. granulum 118 and 11.5 E per 1 mg of protein in M. pneumoniae FH. In the sediments of studied mollicutes proteolytic (caseinolytic) activity was also found but it was considerably less. The relation of proteolytic enzymes found in the sediment being quantitatively expressed, the following proportion will be obtained: 118:FH:PG-18:PG-8=8.8:2.3:2.8:1. Sediments can serve initial material for isolation of these enzymes and for detailed study of their properties.