Growth of Pseudomonas fluorescens on a polyester-polyurethane and the purification and characterization of a polyurethanase-protease enzyme

A Pseudomonas fluorescens was found to degrade and utilize a polyester polyurethane as a sole carbon and energy source. Polyurethane utilization by P. fluorescens, followed simple Michaelis-Menten kinetics. The K-s and mu(max) values were 0.9 mg ml(-1) and 1.61 doublings . h(-1) respectively. The enzymes from P. fluorescens responsible for polyurethane degradation were found to be extracellular. Analysis of the polyurethane degrading proteins using non-denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed one active protein band with an R-f value of 0.083. A polyurethane degrading enzyme was purified and displayed protease activity. This enzyme was inhibited by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride and had a molecular weight of 29,000 daltons. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.