Isolation of Chitinolytic Bacteria from the Viscera of Korean Bony Fishes and Optimization of the Enzyme Production

In order to produce functional chitin oligosaccharides, a chitinolytic bacterium was newly screened from the viscera of Korean bony fishes, and identified as Bacillus sp. LJ-25. For the production of chitinolytic enzymes, $1.0\%$ nutrient broth and $0.3\%$ colloidal chitin were used as nitrogen and carbon source, respectively. The optimal temperature, initial pH and concentration of NaCl for the enzyme production by Bacillus sp. LJ-25 were $30^{\circ}C$ 6.5-7.0 and $1.0\%$, respectively. The enzyme activity of Bacillus sp. LJ-25 increased until the incubation time of 168 hr, followed by a decrease in activity.