This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Lehrer, S. Articles by Nowotny, A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Lehrer, S. Articles by Nowotny, A.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Infect Immun. 1972 December; 6(6): 928-933
Copyright © 1972 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Isolation and Purification of Endotoxin by Hydrolytic Enzymes

^a Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19140

ABSTRACT

Various commercial hydrolases were used in an attempt to degrade the endotoxic lipopolysaccharide macromolecule. Some inert components, such as peptides and nucleic acids, could be removed from endotoxin preparations. As a result, endotoxic activity, measured by pyrogenicity, Shwartzman reaction, and mouse lethality, was increased. The remarkable resistance of endotoxin to hydrolases led to the use of such enzymes for the liberation and purification of endotoxin from whole bacterial cells.

¹ Present address: Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation, La Jolla, Calif. 92037.