ABSTRACT
Interest in mycolytic enzymes is long established and originated primarily from a desire by microbiologists to understand the chemical nature and the ultrastructure of the fungal cell wall. The enzymes were, and still are, used as probes to selectively remove constituents of the wall by a technique known as “enzyme dissection.” Cell wall digestion by mycolytic enzymes is the most favored approach for the isolation of fungal protoplasts. Most of the known lytic organisms have been isolated from soil samples or plant material by selection on media containing whole cells or cell walls, of specific fungi. Most mycolytic enzymes currently in use are derived from micro-organisms; in some instances the enzyme complexes have been developed as commercial products. Several Bacillus species have been shown to be producers of mycolytic enzymes. Several representatives of Streptomyces and related genera are known to be active producers of mycolytic enzymes.
