e 34 
In fungi the amount of catalase is relatively very large. Spores of 
Penicillium glaucum were sown in one liter of a sterilized aqueous solu- 
tion of the following: 
Per cent. 
Peptome |. 2. so Seeks Sue ee ee le Se et ar Ora 
Glmeose.' tts. Soke 22 hae ae poe ges re hah ye a5) 
IMialietaei dsj 232 Fe 2 ack 5 eee eee ON i SR ee Se oe ae ae hy 
Pipetassium phosphate '.22 5 oso see a ee opt 
VWaenesttmn sulphates ey eee 2 aa oa ied ees ee eye eee .O1 
After four weeks a large mass of mycelium with spores was devel- 
oped, which was filtered off. In the clear yellowish filtrate, which now 
showed a neutral reaction, a considerable reaction for (6-catalase was 
obtained, but none for either oxidase or peroxidase.’ Of this filtrate 
three portions of 50 cc. each were taken. The first was mixed directly 
with 10 cc. of hydrogen peroxid; the second portion only after heat- 
ing for two minutes at 75° C. and quickly cooling; the third portion 
after heating to 87° for one minute and leat to cool slowly. 
The volume of oxygen developed in fifteen minutes from the first 
portion was 78 cc., from the second portion only 14.8 cc., while from 
the third portion no oxygen at all was developed. The washed myce- 
lium, together with the spores, was now left for one hour in 80 per 
cent alcohol in order to kill the mycelium, which was then pressed 
gently between filter paper, dried at 40° C., and finely pulverized. 
Of this product 0.5 gram was again washed well with water, in order 
to remove all /-catalase, and then suspended in 20 ec. water. Hydro- 
gen peroxid in portions of 10 cc. was now gradually added. The 
sudden start and sudden stop of the development of oxygen gas was 
very striking and evidently indicated the presence of a great deal or 
of a very energetic kind of catalase. When the process had slowed 
down considerably further addition was stopped. In the short time of 
forty-one minutes fully 800 cc. of oxygen were developed’ from 90 
ec. of hydrogen peroxid added. It was probably the a-catalase of 
the mycelium only and not that of the spores of the fungus that 
caused this considerable development, since the membranes of the lat- 
ter are impregnated by.a fatty substance that admits aqueous solutions 
to the interior with considerable difficulty.’ 
Another fungus tested was Pleurotus sapidus, which proved very 
rich in f-catalase but less rich in @-eatalase. Conidia of a Uredo also 
showed a very powerful action. 
A test for catalase in bakers’ yeast vielded the following result: A 
portion was divided into three equal parts, one part being dried at 
1A slight blue coloration that set in after half an hour’s standing in the test for 
oxidase (not peroxidase) can ey be considered as a detisive test. 
” Barometric pressure 771 mm.; temperature 22° C. 
3 That the accumulation of /- watalaedt in a liquid is not inimical to bacterial growth 
was proven with the mold culture filtrates. 
