150 



H. J. CORPER AND H. C. SWEANY 



T, Test, containing autolysate and tubercle connective tissue. 



NHC, Non-heated control, containing autolysate alone. 



HC, Heated control, containing autolysate (heated) and connective tissue. 



Summary. As a result of the above experiments it may be 

 stated that evidence of the presence of a connective tissue, or 

 elastic tissue, disintegrating enzyme in the tubercle bacillus was 

 not obtained, at least by the methods used for this purpose. 



COMPLETE SUMMARY 



1. Tubercle bacilli of both the human and bovine varieties 

 possess autolytic enzymes, as indicated by the non-coagulable 

 nitrogen and amino acid a nitrogen liberated at incubator tem- 

 perature after the bacilli have been killed by toluene and chloro- 

 form. 



2. The bacilli themselves, or autolysates therefrom, also 

 possess a trypsin-like enzyme capable of splitting proteins in 

 alkaline solution, an erepsin-like enzyme capable of decomposing 

 peptone in acid solution, a weak pepsin-like enzyme capable of 

 splitting proteins in acid solution, a nuclease capable of splitting 

 nucleic acid and a urease capable of decomposing urea. 



3. The tubercle bacilli, or autolysates therefrom, do not pos- 

 sess enzymes capable of hydrolyzing starch or inverting sucrose, 

 demonstrable by the delicate Lewis and Benedict picramic acid 

 method. 



