Purification of a mucopolysacharidase from Bacteroides distasonis

A mucopolysaccharidase derived from a pathogenic strain of Bacteroides distasonis was isolated and purified by fractionation with cold acetone and ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, pH 8.0. Three detectable enzyme activities from concentrated supernatant filtrates were obtained in a fraction precipitated by three volumes of cold acetone; these were DNAase, hyaluronidase and chondroitinase-like activity. Separation of the DNAase was achieved by ion-exchange chromatography. Fractions designated as purified mucopolysaccharidase contained both hyaluronidase and chondroitinase-like activity.