"Yeast lytic enzyme" versus Zymolase

[Morris F. Manolson]

>for the use of Zymolase (ICN).  My advisor felt that Zymolase was 
>prohibitively expensive to use when screening large numbers of mutants 
>(especially on the long shot experiment that we're trying to perform).  
>He asked me to try an alternative enzyme described in the ICN catalog as 
>"Yeast Lyric Enzyme-70,000." 

I was faced with the same problem when I started doing massive amounts
of vacuole preps. (which requires creating spheroplast using 
Zymolase).  To save a few buck (actually more than a few bucks), and upon the
superviser's insistence, we switched to Lyticase (Cat# L-8137, Sigma).
For about three years I successfully used Lyticase for vacuole preps.  
Every lot we got from Sigma has a very different appearance and a
different specific activity.  The last lot I received from Sigma (lot#
96F-6806-1)
successfully made spheroplast (as judged by cell lysis) yet I was unable
to purify vacuoles from the resulting spheroplast.  I switched to 
Zymolase 100T and have been getting great vacuoles ever since.
I have very little money but I have even less time.....so I just put
an order in to ICN for 0.5 grams of Zymolase 100T for 475$ canadian.  Never
pay the catalog price!  Bargain with your local sales rep.
I would be very interested in other people's opinion regarding this matter.
Morrie

******************************************************************************
Morris F. Manolson                     Tel:  416-813-6662  (office)
Division of Cell Biology                     416-813-5594  (lab)
Hospital for Sick Children                   416-813-5028  (FAX)
88 Elm St., McMaster building        email:  Morrie at resunix.ri.sickkids.on.ca
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
M5G 1X8