| The extracellular digestive apparatus of bivalve molluscs consists of a crystalline style containing diverse degradative enzymes which are released during rotation and dissolution of the style. This paper reviews the occurrence of a temperature-regulated bacteriolytic enzyme in the black mussel Choromytilus meridionalis , which is an inhabitant of coastal reefs on the south and south west coast of South Africa. This agent is unable to lyse Micrococcus luteus or Escherichia coli , both of which are susceptible to lysis by a true lysozyme. It appears to have a restricted spectrum of activity which includes both free-living and kelp-associated gram-negative bacteria. In addition, the level of activity varies dramatically according to the environmental water... |
