Enzymatic decomposition of MUF-leucine is weakly inhibited by serum albumin and
MUF-phosphate is inhibited by phosphogluconic acid. The manner of inhibition is not
clear in the latter two cases. Further competition experiments are urgently required to
more precisely define the usefulness of MUF-substrates in qualitative as well as quantitative studies of the enzymatic activity of bacteria.
Liberation of intracellular bacterial enzymes could result from lysis of cells in older
bacteria colonies. This cannot be fully avoided through shortening of the incubation time,
because some colonies may grow faster and undergo cell lysis earlier than others. There
may also be some criticism concerning the solvent (methylcellosolve) used to prepare the
stock solution of MUF-substrates. However, it has been shown that the effect of the
solvent at its working solution concentration is negligible. The usage of water as a solvent
for those MUF-substrates sufficiently water soluble (MUF-β-D-glucoside, MUF-Nacetyl-β-D-glucosaminide, MUF-phosphate) is, nevertheless, recommended.
The number of colony-forming bacteria (saprophytes) plays an important role as an easily
assessable indicator of pollution and of autochthonous organic matter accumulation. In
this regard the identification of “physiological groups” of saprophytes could lead to a
better understanding of organic matter cycles in ecosystems. Despite the uncertainties still
involved, the described method can be used as a rapid and sensitive measure of extracellular enzymatic properties of saprophytes and could also be a promising tool in the research
of mutants in physiological studies.
FINK D. W. and W. R. KOEHLER, 1970. PH effects on fluorescence of Umbelliferone. Analyt. Chem. 42:
990-993.
FRED E. B. and S. A. WAKSMAN, 1928. Laboratory Manual of General Microbiology. New York, Mcgraw-Hill.
GUILBAULT G. G., 1973. Pratical fluorescence: theory, methods, and techniques, New York, Malcel Dekker.
HOLDING A. I. and J. G. COLLEE, 1971. Routine biochemical tests. In: Methods in microbiology. Ed. by J. R.
Norris and D. W. Ribbons, London, Academic Press : 1 - 33.
HOPPE H.-G., 1983. Significance of exoenzymatic activities in the ecology of backish water: Measurements by
means of Methylumbelliferyl-substrates. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 11: 299 - 308.
JONES J. G., 1971. Studies on freshwater bacteria: Factors which influence the population and its activity. J.
Ecol. 59: 593 - 613.
KIM J. H. and C. E. ZOBELL, 1974. Occurrence and activities of cell free enzymes in oceanic environments. In :
Effect of the ocean environment on microbial activities. Ed. by R. R. Colwell and R. Y. Morita, University Park
Press: 368 - 385.
KJELLEBERG S. and N. H AKANSSON, 1977. Distribution of lipolytic, proteolytic, and amylolytic marine bacteria
between the lipid film and the subsurface water .Mar. Biol. 39: 103-109.
LITTEL K. J. and P. A. HARTMAN, 1983. Fluorogenic selective and differential medium for isolation of fecal
Streptococci. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 45:622 - 627.
LITTLE J. E., R. E. SJOGREN and G. R. CARSON, 1979. Measurement of proteolysis in natural waters. Appl.
Environ. Microbiol. 37:900 - 908.
MOW-ROBINSON J., 1983. Vergleichende Untersuchung der Bakterien-population in der Kieler Förde bei
Standorten mit und ohne Benthosvegetation. Diplomarbeit, Uni.Kiel : 58 pp.
PANCHOLY S. K. and J. Q. LYND, 1971. Microbial esterase detection with ultraviolet fluorescence. Appl.
Microbiol. 22 : 939 - 941.
PAONI N. F. and R. L. ARROYO, 1984. Improved method for detection of glycosidases in bacterial colonies.
Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 47:208 - 209.
182
MUF-phosphate is inhibited by phosphogluconic acid. The manner of inhibition is not
clear in the latter two cases. Further competition experiments are urgently required to
more precisely define the usefulness of MUF-substrates in qualitative as well as quantitative studies of the enzymatic activity of bacteria.
Liberation of intracellular bacterial enzymes could result from lysis of cells in older
bacteria colonies. This cannot be fully avoided through shortening of the incubation time,
because some colonies may grow faster and undergo cell lysis earlier than others. There
may also be some criticism concerning the solvent (methylcellosolve) used to prepare the
stock solution of MUF-substrates. However, it has been shown that the effect of the
solvent at its working solution concentration is negligible. The usage of water as a solvent
for those MUF-substrates sufficiently water soluble (MUF-β-D-glucoside, MUF-Nacetyl-β-D-glucosaminide, MUF-phosphate) is, nevertheless, recommended.
The number of colony-forming bacteria (saprophytes) plays an important role as an easily
assessable indicator of pollution and of autochthonous organic matter accumulation. In
this regard the identification of “physiological groups” of saprophytes could lead to a
better understanding of organic matter cycles in ecosystems. Despite the uncertainties still
involved, the described method can be used as a rapid and sensitive measure of extracellular enzymatic properties of saprophytes and could also be a promising tool in the research
of mutants in physiological studies.
FINK D. W. and W. R. KOEHLER, 1970. PH effects on fluorescence of Umbelliferone. Analyt. Chem. 42:
990-993.
FRED E. B. and S. A. WAKSMAN, 1928. Laboratory Manual of General Microbiology. New York, Mcgraw-Hill.
GUILBAULT G. G., 1973. Pratical fluorescence: theory, methods, and techniques, New York, Malcel Dekker.
HOLDING A. I. and J. G. COLLEE, 1971. Routine biochemical tests. In: Methods in microbiology. Ed. by J. R.
Norris and D. W. Ribbons, London, Academic Press : 1 - 33.
HOPPE H.-G., 1983. Significance of exoenzymatic activities in the ecology of backish water: Measurements by
means of Methylumbelliferyl-substrates. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 11: 299 - 308.
JONES J. G., 1971. Studies on freshwater bacteria: Factors which influence the population and its activity. J.
Ecol. 59: 593 - 613.
KIM J. H. and C. E. ZOBELL, 1974. Occurrence and activities of cell free enzymes in oceanic environments. In :
Effect of the ocean environment on microbial activities. Ed. by R. R. Colwell and R. Y. Morita, University Park
Press: 368 - 385.
KJELLEBERG S. and N. H AKANSSON, 1977. Distribution of lipolytic, proteolytic, and amylolytic marine bacteria
between the lipid film and the subsurface water .Mar. Biol. 39: 103-109.
LITTEL K. J. and P. A. HARTMAN, 1983. Fluorogenic selective and differential medium for isolation of fecal
Streptococci. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 45:622 - 627.
LITTLE J. E., R. E. SJOGREN and G. R. CARSON, 1979. Measurement of proteolysis in natural waters. Appl.
Environ. Microbiol. 37:900 - 908.
MOW-ROBINSON J., 1983. Vergleichende Untersuchung der Bakterien-population in der Kieler Förde bei
Standorten mit und ohne Benthosvegetation. Diplomarbeit, Uni.Kiel : 58 pp.
PANCHOLY S. K. and J. Q. LYND, 1971. Microbial esterase detection with ultraviolet fluorescence. Appl.
Microbiol. 22 : 939 - 941.
PAONI N. F. and R. L. ARROYO, 1984. Improved method for detection of glycosidases in bacterial colonies.
Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 47:208 - 209.
182