Isolation and characterization of a bacterial growth-stimulating peptide from a peptic bovine hemoglobin hydrolysate

 A peptide with a bacterial-growth-stimulating activity was isolated from a bovine hemoglobin hydrolysate by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Its primary structure and molecular mass, determined by amino acid analysis and fast-atom bombardment mass spectrometry, were identical to those of fragment 48–52 (Ser-Thr-Ala-Asp-Ala) of the β chain of bovine hemoglobin. The microbiological tests in solid media demonstrated that this peptide exhibited a growth-stimulating activity on gram-negative bacteria. Received: 18 September 1995/Received revision: 19 January 1996/Accepted: 29 January 1996