[Isolation and properties of polyphosphatase of Neurospora crassa]

Polyphosphatase (polyphosphate-phosphohydrolase) has been isolated from mycelium of Neurospora crassa and purified to homogenous state. The enzyme is shown to be strictly specific to high molecular weight inorganic polyphosphates. Km for phosphate in polymeric form is 6.8-10(-4) M. The molecular weight of this enzyme is 50 000 +/- 3000. To display its activity polyphosphatase requires the presence of bivalent cations of some metals, Mg2+ ions being the best activator with Co2+, Mn2+ and Fe2+ ions-slightly less effective.