Kinetics of the extracellular proteinase production by the proteolytic biovar of Enterococcus faecalis in complex media and skim milk

Abstract The proteolytic biovar of Enterococcus faecalis produces an extracellular acid proteinase when grown in complex media containing casein and in skim milk. The enzyme reaches a maximum level in skim milk after 24 h at 33 °C and loses the activity after 42–72 h [3]. Proteinase synthesis, being energy‐dependent, occurs only in glycolysing cells [4]. Amino acids, casein, and Zn2+ and Ca2+ are required for induction of the synthesis, sustaining the production and preventing the autodigestion of the enzyme. This report describes the possible kinetics involved in the proteinase production.