The Isolation and Properties of the Lytic Enzyme of the Cell Wall Released by Mating Gametes of <italic>Chlamydomonas reinhardtii</italic>

Abstract

The lytic enzyme of the cell wall, which is excreted into the culture medium by mating gametes of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, was characterized through its purification, and a convenient quantitative test for activity which uses glutaraldehyde-fixed zoosporangia was devised. The enzyme was stabilized at a high salt concentration (200 mM NaCl) then purified by gel filtration and sucrose density gradient centrifugation. The results show that the lytic enzyme is a molecule(s) of about 130,000 daltons.