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Digestive enzymes secreted by the carnivorous plant Nepenthes macferlanei L.

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Summary

At least two proteases are present in the secretion of the pitchers of Nepenthes macferlanei, a major one with an estimated molecular weight of 59000 and a minor one of 21000. The specificity of the major enzyme, nepenthesin, was broader than previously reported, and strikingly similar to that of pepsin. Lipase activity was also demonstrated, while no amylase activity was present.

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Author notes

  1. Zoltán A. Tökés

    Present address: Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 90033, Los Angeles, Calif., USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Zoltán A. Tökés

  2. Division of Botany, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Wang Chee Woon

  3. Basel Institute for Immunology, Grenzacher Str. 487, CH-4058, Basel, Switzerland

    Susan M. Chambers

Authors
  1. Zoltán A. Tökés
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  2. Wang Chee Woon
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  3. Susan M. Chambers
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Tökés, Z.A., Woon, W.C. & Chambers, S.M. Digestive enzymes secreted by the carnivorous plant Nepenthes macferlanei L.. Planta 119, 39–46 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00390820

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00390820

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