Neuraminidase Activity in Diplococcus pneumoniae

Abstract

Kelly , R. T. (Marquette University School of Medicine, Milwaukee, Wis.), D. Greiff, and S. Farmer . Neuraminidase activity in Diplococcus pneumoniae . J. Bacteriol. 91: 601–603. 1966.—A method for the quantitation of neuraminidase in the presence of N -acetylneuraminic acid aldolase is described. The neuraminidase content of Diplococcus pneumoniae was found to be dependent on the media employed for growth; the highest enzyme activity per milligram of bacterial protein was obtained with Todd-Hewitt broth. Neuraminidase production was stimulated in D. pneumoniae by the addition of N -acetylneuraminlactose, N -acetylneuraminic acid, or N -acetylmannosamine to the growth medium. Three rough strains of D. pneumoniae , which were nonpathogenic for mice, lacked neuraminidase activity. Seven of 12 smooth strains contained neuraminidase; enzyme activity was not detected in the remaining 5 smooth strains. There was no correlation between the presence of neuraminidase activity and the capsular type or between neuraminidase production and animal virulence.