A partially purified beta-glucosidase from Bifidobacterium adolescentis converts cycasin to a mutagenic compound

beta-Glucosidase was extracted from sonicated Bifidobacterium adolescentis Int-57 and partially purified by Sepharose CL-6B gel-filtration and DEAE-cellulose ion-exchange chromatography. The partially purified enzyme was confirmed to convert cycasin to a mutagen in the Ames and SOS chromotests. beta-Glucosidase negative strains were unable to activate cycasin mutagenically.