ABSTRACT
Various mycobacterial species namely M. phlei, M. vaccae, M. scrofulaceum, M. avium and M. tuberculosis have been investigated for the presence of enzyme alanine dehydrogenase which could be important for utilization of alanine by TCA cycle. It was found that alanine dehydrogenase was present in all species of mycobacteria tested irrespective of the fact whether they are rapid or slow growers. Electrophoretic mobilities of alanine dehydrogenase from different species of mycobacteria were not found to be significant for taxonomical differentiation of rapid and slow growers.
Subject(s)
Alanine Dehydrogenase , Amino Acid Oxidoreductases/metabolism , Humans , Nontuberculous Mycobacteria/enzymology , Mycobacterium/enzymology , Mycobacterium avium/enzymology , Mycobacterium tuberculosis/enzymology , Species SpecificityABSTRACT
Presence of O-phenoloxidase is regarded as M. leprae specific character. This enzyme activity was found to be present in ICRC bacilli, Strain C-44. Though this strain is cultivable 'in vitro', the expression of DOPA-Oxidase activity strongly suggests that it carries M. leprae genome. The ICRC bacilli, therefore, may thus from a group of M. leprae culture isolates, distinct from other known cultivable mycobacteria which do not possess this enzyme activity.