In vivo protection of urease of Evernia prunastri by dithiothreitol

Abstract

Urease is induced by urea in Evernia prunastri (L.) Ach. thallus, but the enzyme becomes inactive from the fifth hour of culture, this process being more complete when the thallus is incubated in white light than when the thallus is aging in darkness. Dithiothreitol prevents this inactivation to some extent by reduction (or protection) of ‐SH groups in the protein. In vivo inactivation, in darkness as well as in the light, is accompanied by increase in the molecular mass of the enzyme; this pattern is not greatly changed by dithiothreitol.