Preparation of some immobilized linked enzyme systems and their use in the automated determination of disaccharides

1. Glucose oxidase (EC 1.1.3.4), amyloglucosidase (EC 3.2.1.3), invertase (EC 3.2.1.26) and beta-galactosidase (EC 3.2.1.23) were covalently attached via glutaraldehyde to the inside surface of nylon tube. 2. The linked enzyme system, comprising invertase immobilized within a nylon tube acting in series with glucose oxidase immobilized in a similar way, was used for the automated determination of sucrose. 3. The linked enzyme system, comprising beta-galactosidase immobilized within a nylon tube acting in series with glucose oxidase immobilized in a similar way, was used for the automated determination of lactose. 4. The linked enzyme system, comprising amyloglucosidase immobilized within a nylon tube acting in series with glucose oxidase immobilized in a similar way, was used for the automated determination of maltose. 5. Mixtures of glucose oxidase and amyloglucosidase were immobilized within the same piece of nylon tube and used for the automated determination of maltose. 6. Mixtures of glucose oxidase and invertase were immobilized within the same piece of nylon tube and used for the automated determination of sucrose.

Isolation of novel conjugated gibberellins from Cucumis sativus seed

Neutral and n-butanol fractions of a methanol extract of mature seeds of a monoecious line of Cucumis sativus (cucumber) were found to contain novel gibberellins. A β-D-glucoside was isolated from the n-butanol fraction and partially characterized by thin-layer chromatography as a derivative of gibberellin A1. The n-propyl ester of GA3 was isolated from the neutral fraction and the n-propyl ester of GA1 was tentatively identified as a second component of that fraction.

Structure and immunological specificity of the Streptococcus mutans group b cell wall antigen

The Streptococcus mutans group b antigen of strain FA1 has been defined as to chemical composition and immunological specificity. The antigen in cold trichloroacetic acid extracts was fractionated on diethylaminoethyl-Sephadex A-25 at pH 8.5. Two forms were isolated: a polysaccharide and a mucoprotein. The two polymers reacted as a single substance in agar gel diffusion against specific adsorbed FA1 rabbit antisera but were separated by gel immunoelectrophoresis. No reaction with any other S. mutans or streptococcal group sera occurred. Galactose composed about one-third and galactosamine about 3% of the total weight of each polymer. Rhamnose was a major component of the polysaccharide (47%) but was present only in traces in the mucoprotein. The protein content of the latter was about 40%. No significant quantities of glycerol, phosphorus, or muramic acid were present in either case. Pepsin and trypsin had no effect on the serological specificity of the mucoprotein. d-Galactose and d-galactosamine were strong inhibitors (70%) of the precipitin reaction, whereas d-glucose, d-glucosamine, and N-acetyl-d-glucosamine inhibited between 25 and 35%. The results indicate that the antigen is a major antigenic component of the cell wall and that the specificity of the antigen resides in binding sites which contain both d-galactose and d-galactosamine. Agglutination of whole cells by specific group b antiserum indicates the antibody receptor sites of the polysaccharide antigen are at the surface of the streptococcal cell. The mucoprotein, but not the polysaccharide, was released from the cell by lysozyme. Lysis did not occur. The immunological specificity and other characteristics of the antigen establishes it as the identifying antigen of S. mutans group b.