ENZYMES OF THE TUBERCLE BACILLUS 



137 



also an increase in soluble tuberculosis antigen in the autolysate 

 available for complement fixation tests, that is capable of unit- 

 ing with tuberculosis antibody, human and bovine tubercle 

 bacilli were suspended . in sterile physiological salt solution and 

 kept in the incubator at 37°C. At definite intervals the clear 

 autolysate was tested for non-coagulable nitrogen content and 

 titrated for its antigenic strength. The antigenic titre was 

 obtained by determining the minimum amount necessary to 

 give a complete binding of all the complement when using q, 

 definite amount of + + + + antituberculosis (human) serum. 

 The Noguchi antihuman hemolytic system was used in these 

 tests. The results are tabulated in Chart III. 



Chart III. Correl.\tiox of Autolysis and Antigen Formation 



It is to be noted that coincident, although not absolutely 

 parallel, with the increase in non-coagulable nitrogen liberated 

 there also occurs an increase in the antigenic titre of the autol- 

 ysate, so that an autolysate which only gave a titre of 0.1 cc. 

 on the first day gradually and consistently increases to a titre 

 of 0.001 cc. on the sixth day. 



DETERMINATION OF INDIVIDUAL ENZYMES OF THE TUBERCLE 



BACILLUS 



In the hope of being able to determine the presence of the 

 various individual enzymes in the tubercle bacillus by the 

 nephelometric method for determining enzymatic action recently 



