[Enzymatic profile and plasmid content of Neisseria polysacchareae]

The enzymatic profile of "Neisseria polysacchareae" was determined by using chromogenic substrate (API System), and was compared to that of N. meningitidis, N. gonorrhoeae and N. lactamica. The tested classes of enzymes were aminopeptidase, proteases, esterases, lipases, glycosidases, phosphatase and phosphoamidase. "N. polysacchareae" exhibited various aminopeptidase and protease activities and a strong esterase activity. No lipase and glycosidase activities were detected by the tested substrates. The strains of "N. polysacchareae" differed from that of N. meningitidis in the presence of hydroxyproline aminopeptidase and the lack of gamma-glutamyl-transferase activity. Five strains harboured extrachromosomal elements. The plasmids were of 4.2 Kb in size in four cases and of more than 40 Kb in four cases. Three strains simultaneously harboured these two plasmids. This plasmid content is another characteristic of strains of this new taxon. No phenotypic modification was observed in plasmid-containing strains.