Abstract
DIFFUSING factor preparations from various sources cause a rapid decrease in the viscosity of certain mucins (for example, hyaluronic acid) and if contact is maintained for a longer period hydrolysis of the polysaccharide can be detected by an increase in the reducing power of the mixture1. Since the mucins in question are believed to be built up of N-acetyl-glucosamine and uronic acid residues it seemed likely that an enzyme capable of hydrolysing them would also hydrolyse other N-acetylglucosaminides. It has, in fact, been demonstrated (see accompanying table) that a concentrate of testicular diffusing factor2 will hydrolyse N-acetyl-β-phenylglucosaminide much more readily than any other glycoside examined.
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References
Chain and Duthie, NATURE, 144, 977 (1939).
Madinaveitia, Biochem. J., 32, 1806 (1938); 33, 347 (1939).
Madinaveitia and Quibell, Biochem. J. 34, 625 (1940).
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EAST, M., MADINAVEITIA, J. & TODD, A. β-Glucosaminase in Testes. Nature 147, 418 (1941). https://doi.org/10.1038/147418a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/147418a0
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