HENRY SCHMITZ 



615 



TABLE I. 

 The Carhohydrase Action of Echinodontium tinctorium. 



Substrate. 



Maltose 



Lactose 



Sucrose 



Rafl&nose 



Potato starch. . . . , 



Inulin 



White fir cellulose 

 Filter paper " 

 Hemicellulose . . . . , 



With 

 fungous 

 <neal. 



1.3 

 :7.5 

 8.2 

 6.1 

 4.4 

 7.0 

 8.9 

 7.1 

 8.5 



With 



fungous 



meal auto- 



claved. 



Without 



fungous 



meal. 



O.OS N KMn04. 



19.1 

 24.7 

 5.3 

 4.0 

 3.1 

 4.5 

 3.6 

 3.2 

 4.8 



15.1 

 21.2 

 0.2 

 0.3 

 0.2 

 0.3 

 0.2 

 0.4 

 1.5 



Tannase. 



Tannase activity was determined by the action of the fungous 

 meal on a 1 per cent solution of tannic acid. After 20 days incuba- 

 tion the cultures were filtered and 5 cc. of the filtrates were titrated 

 against 0.05 N iodine. In all cases negative results were obtained. 



Amidase and Urease. 



Acetamide and urea were used as substrates to determine the pres- 

 ence or absence of enzymes which split amino-acids into ammonia and 

 hydroxyl acids. The enzyme cultures were set up in wash bottles 

 with the intakes and outlets sealed by means of rubber tubing and 

 clamps. After 10 days incubation the bottles were connected up 

 with other wash bottles containing distilled water and a few drops of 

 bromothymol blue; air was then drawn through the series by means 

 of a suction pump. The change in color due to the shifting of the 

 hydrogen ion concentration and the length of time necessary to cause 

 this change were noted. 



When acetamide was used as a substrate, all tests were negative. 

 With urea as a substrate, however, the color of the indicator changed 

 from yellowish brown (pH 5.6) to bright blue in 3 seconds. In the 



