IS 



MUCOLYTIC ENZYMES 



KARL MEYER, associate professor of biochemistry, department 



OF OPHTHALMOLOGY, COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS, COLUMBIA 

 university; chemist to the institute OF OPHTHALMOLOGY, 



PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL 



MUCOLYTIC ENZYMES may be defined as enzymes 

 which primarily catalyze the depolymerization of 

 highly polymerized mucopolysaccharides. * Mucopolysaccharides oc- 

 cur in many internal and external structures of animals and micro- 

 organisms. The biological importance of some of these substances 

 in a few instances is now well recognized, although at present our 

 knowledge of the functions and biological relationship of most of these 

 substances is still very meager. In some instances, either identical or 

 closely related mucopolysaccharides as, for example, hyaluronic acid, 

 occur both in the animal body and in microorganisms. In other 

 instances, mucolytic enzymes, such as lysozyme and hyaluronidase, 

 occur both in microorganisms and in the animal. Apart from their 

 biological interest, mucolytic enzymes are one of the most valuable 

 aids in the isolation and characterization of mucopolysaccharides. 

 Their high specificity is comparable to that of immunological reactions. 

 Their usefulness is somewhat limited by the lack of purity in the avail- 

 able enzyme preparations, a drawback, however, which can be over- 

 come by the judicious application of enzymes from different sources. 



* Mucopolysaccharides are hexosamine-containing polysaccharides. For 

 their classification see reference (23). 



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