616 ENZYME ACTION 



tests in the controls a slight change in color was also noted, but in 

 no case going beyond the light blue stage even after air had been drawn 

 through the wash bottles for 3 minutes. 



Rennet. 



The presence of rennet has been variously reported in the wood- 

 destroying fungi. In Echinodontium iinctorium fresh milk was 

 coagulated in 2 hours while the controls remained unchanged. 



Catalase. 



When 50 cc. of a 3 per cent solution of hydrogen peroxide were 

 added to 1 gm. of fungous meal, a rapid evolution of oxygen resulted 

 amounting to 42 cc. of the gas in 1 minute. 



Proteases. 



Tryptic and ereptic fermentations were studied by the use of 1 per 

 cent solutions of albumin, peptone, casein, and fibrin in enzyme cul- 

 tures having neutral, acid, and alkaline reactions. In no case was 

 a positive result obtained with either the biuret or the tryptophane 

 test. In order to check the negative results in the fibrin, this ma- 

 terial was stained with Congo red and the color fixed by immersing in 

 boihng water. This stained fibrin was then used as a substrate. In 

 such cultures a liberation of the stain would indicate the digestion of 

 the fibrin. In the enzyme cultures having an alkaline reaction, a 

 slight liberation of the stain was noted, but this also occurred in the 

 alkaline controls. Biuret and tryptophane tests with these cultures 

 also were negative. 



SUMMARY. 



In Echinodontium iinctorium the presence of the following enzymes 

 was demonstrated: esterase, maltase, lactase, sucrase, raffinase, 

 diastase, inulase, cellulase, hemicellulase, urease, rennet, and catalase. 



