PubMed:10594364 JSONTXT 22 Projects

The presence of an endogenous endo-D-arabinase in Mycobacterium smegmatis and characterization of its oligoarabinoside product. Endogenous mycobacterial endo-D-arabinase activity, which degrades cell wall polysaccharide arabinogalactan, was found in Mycobacterium smegmatis. The arabinan product contains 20-30 arabinosyl residues but no galactofuranosyl residues. Recognition of this endogenous activity results in the possibility of developing antituberculosis drugs that do not require bacterial growth for activity.