Pyrrolidonyl-β-naphthylamide (PYR) is a molecule used in
microbiology
Microbiology () is the branches of science, scientific study of microorganisms, those being of unicellular organism, unicellular (single-celled), multicellular organism, multicellular (consisting of complex cells), or non-cellular life, acellula ...
to detect the presence of
pyrrolidonyl peptidase
Pyroglutamyl-peptidase I (, also known as Pyrrolidonyl peptidase, is an enzyme (a cysteine peptidase) found in bacteria, plants and animals.
It can be used to distinguish certain Streptococcal organisms.
Other names are ''5-oxoprolyl-peptidase'', ...
.
In the presence of bacteria with pyrrolidonyl peptidase, it is broken down to
pyroglutamic acid and
2-naphthylamine
2-Naphthylamine or 2-aminonaphthalene is one of two isomeric aminonaphthalenes, compounds with the formula C10H7NH2. It is a colorless solid, but samples take on a reddish color in air because of oxidation. It was formerly used to make azo dyes, b ...
. To detect this process,
''p''-dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde is added and a change to a pink color can then be detected.
References
Carboxamides
Pyrrolidones
Naphthylamines
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