Abstract
IN a recent communication, Y. Yamamura, M. Kusunose and E. Kusunose1 described two “lactic oxidases” prepared from Mycobacterium avium. “Lactic oxidase I” is said to be a new type of lactateoxidizing system which catalyses the reaction: The authors are apparently unaware that a soluble aerobic dehydrogenase catalysing the same oxidation of L-lactate was extracted from Mycobacterium phlei several years ago2. Preparations of a similar, if not identical, enzyme have been obtained from Mycobacterium smegmatis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis var. hominis (H37 strain)3. For these and other reasons, it was suggested that L-lactic acid oxidase is an enzyme common to all species of acid-fast bacteria4.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
References
Yamamura, Y., Kusunose, M., and Kusunose, E., Nature, 170, 207(1952).
Edson, N. L., Biochem. J., 41, 145 (1947).
Geronimus, L. H., Gray, C. T., and Birkeland, J. M., Abstracts of Papers, Soc. Amer. Bacteriologists, 49th General Meeting 42 (1949).
Edson, N. L., Bact. Rev., 15, 165 (1951).
Lipmann, F., J. Biol. Chem., 139, 977 (1941).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
EDSON, N., COUSINS, F. Lactate-oxidizing Systems in the Mycobacteria. Nature 171, 702 (1953). https://doi.org/10.1038/171702a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/171702a0
This article is cited by
-
Flavin nucleotides and flavoproteins
Experientia (1956)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.