TABLE 3.

Relative specific activities of Acinetobacter esterases against 4-nitrophenyl alkanoates

No. of carbons in alkyl chain	Relative specific activitya
	SalEb	AreAc
2	450	1.9
4	100	100
6	0.5	87
8	<0.1	6.5
10	<0.1	1.4
12	<0.1	0.9
14	<0.1	0.2
16	<0.1	<0.1

^aRelative to the activity against 4-nitrophenyl butyrate (C₄) (set at 100). All reaction rates were based on the average of three measurements, none of which varied by >5%. 

^bMeasured in cell extracts of E. coli BL21(pADPW70). The specific activity against 4-nitrophenyl butyrate was 11.2 U/mg of protein. 

^cMeasured in cell extracts of E. coli BL21(pADPW40). The specific activity against 4-nitrophenyl butyrate was 38.0 U/mg of protein.