The l-amino-acid oxidase of Neurospora

Bender, Krebs & Horowitz (1949) and Bender & Krebs (1950) reported that Neuro8pora crassa can produce anL--amino-acid oxidase in addition to the D-m-amino-acid oxidase previously described by Horowitz (1944). The L-amino-acid oxidase was present not only in the mycelium but also in the clear culture fluid, whilst the D-enzyme only occurs in the mycelium. The quantity of the L-enzyme formed was found to be dependent on the composition ofthe medium and to vary from strain to strain. The present paper is an extension of preliminary work by Dr A. E. Bender and is concerned with the factors influencing the production of the L-amino- acid oxidase, and with the properties of the enzyme, including the nature of the prosthetic group. A somewhat similar study has been simultaneously carried out by Thayer & Horowitz (1951) in the Kerckhoff Laboratories of Biology, Pasadena, U.S.A. EXPERIMENTAL