FUNGOUS BOOT-TUBERCLES. 91 



i 



ENZYMES IN ALNUS AND CEANOTHUS TUBERCLES. 



- 



The experiment of Shibata (38) demonstrating the pres- 

 ence of proteolytic enzymes in the tubercles of Podocarpus 

 and to some extent in the alder, led me to carry on similar 

 experiments with the tubercles of the alder and Ceanothus. 



Three different kinds of extracts were made from the 

 tubercles: in glycerin, distilled water, and 1% NaCl. solution. 

 The best reactions were obtained with the aqueous and gly- 

 cerin extracts. The NaCl. solution gave no decisive reac- 

 tions, probably due to the toxic effect which this salt has 



Several controls were carried on with 



enzyme 



distilled 



gram 

 mixed 



of tubercle 30 grams of solution was added. This was 

 and finely crushed in a mortar and filtered after having 

 stood for an hour. The material crushed with glycerin was 

 left standing for ten to twelve days, after which it was fil- 

 tered through fine fabric and the filtrate was diluted with 

 four parts of distilled water. The extracts were placed in 



flasks 



% solution of HC1. A small 



chloroform 



fungi and bacteria 



Experiment I. 

 To 50 cc. of diluted glycerin extract of alder tubercles .25 



— a ^ m m 



d it was kept at a tempe 



ture of 34° C 



normal 



(a) At end of 24 hrs.— Somewhat digested. 



(b) u M M 48 M Two- thirds of fibrin digested. 



(c) u " "72 " Nearly all digested. 



■ 



. Glycerin extract with 5 cc. of 1% HC1. 



(a) At end of 24 hrs.— Half of the fibrin digested, the liquid tur- 



bid with many bubbles of gas. 



(b) At end of 48 hrs.— Only a few small pieces of fibrin left. 



(c) " " "72 " All the fibrin digested. 



'he solution gave a good biuret test for proteids. 



