Determination of the chondroitinase activity of bovine testicular preparations.

A simple and rapid turbidimetric method for the assay of hyaluronidase (1) has proved of great aid in the purification of this enzyme from bovine testes (2). Chondroitinsulfuric acid (CSA) is related chemically and biologically to hyaluronic acid, the substrate of hyaluronidase. The presence of a previously identified (3) CSA-depolymerizing activity (chondroitinase) in crude testicular preparations made it desirable to follow this activity during the course of fractionation of hyaluronidase. It is the purpose of this communication to describe a turbidimetric method for the assay of chondroitinase and to present data bearing on the relation of chondroitinase to hyaluronidase. Frequent reference will be made to a method (1) previously published for the assay of hyaluronidase, which served as a pattern for determining the optimum conditions of assay of chondroitinase. Unless otherwise stated, the same materials, instruments, and techniques were used for both methods of assay.