[The kinetics of the postmortal bacterial metabolism of the glutamic acid in brain (author's transl)].

This paper gives a brief report on investigations on bacterial enzyme activities in putrefied brain tissue. The effects of temperature changes (5--30 degrees C) and pH-changes (3--8) on the rate of the glutamic acid reactions, especially proteolysis and alpha- resp. gamma-decarboxylation, were examined to reveal to which extent a temperature and pH-independence is valid for the previously developed time of death formula: (formula: see text). The present investigation demonstrates the independence of the mentioned formula for the important pH-range of 6--7.2 and for a temperature range of 17.5--25 degrees C (room temperature). A second important result is that in these ranges a high proteolytic activity is observed so that the continuation of the reaction sequences will be maintained. These results reveal that the postmortal metabolism of the glutamic acid may be suitable to determine the time of death.