Autolysis of Streptococcus cremoris.

The autolysin of Streptococcus cremoris had the specificity of an endo-N-acetylmuramidase as it hydrolysed the linkage between N-acetylmuramic acid and N-acetylglucosamine. The enzyme had no amidase or endopeptidase action. It reached highest activity in the exponential phase of growth and in the electron microscope seemed to fragment the coccal wall at the equatorial ring.