Vines . — The Proteases of Plants. 313 
The next experiment gives some idea of the rapidity with which 
peptolysis was found to be effected by a dilute mushroom-extract, and 
shows further that peptolysis is a much more rapid process than is 
peptonization. 
Experiment 2. 5 grins, fresh mushroom-pulp were extracted on a filter for 
about an hour with 100 cc. 1 % toluol-water. The filtered liquid gave no trypto- 
phane-reaction. 50 cc. of it were put into a bottle with 0*3 grm. fibrin, and 50 cc. 
into another bottle with 0*5 grm. Witte-peptone. 
In I hour the contents of the Witte-peptone bottle gave a distinct tryptophane- 
reaction : 24 hours later the reaction was strong. In the same time the fibrin in the 
other bottle had not disappeared ; but it disappeared within the next 24 hours. 
The following experiment brings out clearly the relative rapidity of 
peptolysis and of peptonization, and of the effect of added acid and 
alkali on these processes respectively: — 
Experiment 3 . 5 grms. of dried powdered mushroom were extracted with 
200 cc. toluol-water (1 %) : 5 grms. were also extracted with 200 cc. of 2 % NaCl 
solution containing 1 % toluol. 40 cc. of the NaCl extract were put into each of 
3 bottles, with 0-2 grm. of fibrin; also 40 cc. into each of 3 bottles with 0-5 grm. 
Witte-peptone : to 1 fibrin bottle and 1 Witte-peptone bottle (Nos. 1), nothing was 
added ; to another pair of bottles (Nos. 2) Na 2 C 0 3 to 1 % was added ; to a third 
pair (Nos. 3), HC 1 to on % was added. An exactly similar series of bottles containing 
the aqueous extract was prepared. 
After 24 hours’ digestion the results were — 
Nos. 1 
fibrin gone 
tryptophane strong 
NaCl ext. 
2 3 
not gone not gone 
strong marked 
Aq. ext . 
1 2 
not gone not gone 
very strong strong 
3 
not gone 
strong. 
Hence it is apparent that peptolysis and peptonization are inde- 
pendently affected by the addition of acid and alkali. 
Conclusions. 
t r . (a, \ :■ ; • • , . , i}.' .... . . l .. ....... i 
Although my investigation of the mushroom has not been so minute 
as in the case of yeast, the results obtained suffice to draw similar con- 
clusions. 
In the first place, the conclusion is justified that the mushroom contains 
a peptolysing enzyme which is readily extracted by water and acts with 
rapidity. Secondly, it is equally clear that the mushroom contains a 
peptonizing enzyme capable of digesting fibrin. 
As in the case of yeast, so here, the question arises as to whether both 
processes are effected by one and the same protease, or whether there are 
not two proteases in the mushroom, the one especially peptolytic, the other 
especially peptonizing. 
