PROTEINASE BIOSYNTHESIS BY STREPTOCOCCUS LIQUEFACIENS: II. PURINE, PYRIMIDINE, AND VITAMIN REQUIREMENTS

Abstract

Proteinase biosynthesis by Streptococcus liquefaciens, strain 31, may be obtained from an entirely synthetic medium. Adenine and uracil seem to satisfy best the purine and pyrimidine requirement while pyridoxal and riboflavin is the combination of vitamins that leads to maximal enzyme biosynthesis. Biotin and folic acid together, or thiamine, have an inhibitory effect on enzyme synthesis. The amino acid requirements for optimum activity are unaffected by the reduced number of vitamins and nitrogen bases present in the final medium as compared to the initial medium. A reduction in the number of vitamins (to pyridoxal and riboflavin), however, showed that only adenine and uracil gave the best response to the purine and pyrimidine demands for biosynthesis; prior to this, in the presence of a complete vitamin pool, several combinations of nitrogen bases yielded equal enzymatic activity. When proteinase synthesis is plotted against time, enzyme formation ceases at about 3 hours. The shape of the curve indicates a straight-line relationship after an initial lag period of 90 minutes.