Bacterial Chitinases and their Role in the Mineralization Processes

Warnes, Carl E.

doi:10.1007/978-1-4613-0949-9_37

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…Under aerobic conditions many microorganisms enzymatically degrade chitin. On hydrolysis, the product, GlcNAc can be used as a source of carbon and nitrogen by many heterotrophic bacteria (Warnes 1988;Gooday 1990;Mudryk & Donderski 1997). The hydrolyzed products of chitin are converted to Fructose-6-phosphate in the periplasm of the bacteria, which then undergoes the glycolysis pathway leading to energy production (Bassler et al 1991).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Degradation of barnacle nauplii: implications to chitin regulation in the marine environment

2013

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The exoskeleton of most invertebrate larval forms is made of chitin, which is a linear polysaccharide of β (1→4)-linked N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) residues. These larval forms offer extensive body surface for bacterial attachment and colonization. In nature, degradation of chitin involves a cascade of processes brought about by chitinases produced by specific bacteria in the marine environment. Microbial decomposition of larval carcasses serves as an alternate mechanism for nutrient regeneration, elemental cycling and microbial production. The present study was undertaken to assess the influence of chitinase enzyme on the degradation of the nauplii of barnacle, Balanus amphitrite. The survival and abundance of bacteria during the degradation process under different experimental conditions was monitored. To the best of our knowledge, no such study is conducted to understand the degradation of larval exoskeleton using chitinase and its influence on bacteria. An increase in the chitinase activity with increase in temperature was observed. Scanning electron micrographs of chitinase treated nauplii showed scars on the surface of the barnacle nauplii initially and further disruption of the exoskeleton was observed with the increase in the treatment time. Bacterial abundance of the chitinase treated nauplii increased with the increase in enzyme concentration. Pathogenic bacteria such as Vibrio cholerae, V. alginolyticus, V. parahaemolyticus which were initially associated with the exoskeleton were absent after chitinase treatment, however, Bacillus spp. dominated subsequent to chitinase treatment and this might have important implications to marine ecosystem functioning.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%