Chitinolytic enzymes: their contribution to basic and applied research

Abstract

After cellulose, chitin is the second most abundant renewable resource available in nature. Marine invertebrates and fungal biomass are the two main sources of chitinous waste, which is commercially exploited. The enzymes involved in chitin degradation have been particularly well studied. Such enzymes have applications in ultrastructural studies, in the preparation of chitooligosaccharides which show anti-tumour activity, as biocontrol agents and in single-cell protein production. Here, the contribution chitin enzymology can make to basic and applied research is discussed.

Purification and characterization of a novel chitinase from Burkholderia cepacia strain KH2 isolated from the bed log of Lentinus edodes, Shiitake mushroom.

“…It is estimated that the worldwide annual recovery of chitin from the processing of marine invertebrates is 37,300 metric tons (Shaikh and Deshpande, 1993). Production of inexpensive chitinolytic enzymes has an important purpose toward the utilization of shellfish wastes that not only helps solve environmental problems but also promotes the economic value of marine products (Wang et al, 1995).…”

Wax Degrading Bacteria: Scope and Applications in Agriculture

“…Myrothecium verrucaria produces chitinase, lipase, protease and β-1,3-glucanase (Shaikh and Deshpande, 1993) that killed both first (I) and fourth (IV) instar Aedges aegypti mosquito larvae, within 48 h of application (Mendonsa et al, 1996). Entomopathogenous fungi such as Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae that can grow on long chain alkanes (up to C33) as well as many fatty acids, alcohols, and triacylglycerides were reported in many literatures.…”

Production and Characterization of Chitinases from Thermophilic Bacteria Isolated from Prataan Hot Spring, East Java

“…Chitin is assumed to be the second most plenteous polysaccharide on earth [1]. In general, the enzymes responsible for chitin degradation are divided into endochitinases and exochitinases [2]. Endochitinase catalyze chitin degradation into (GlcNAc)2 or other chitoligosaccharides (COS).…”