• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.209-214
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• 1992

Serratia marcescens co-cultured with various phytopathogenic fungi, including Rhizopus stolonifer, Helminthosporium allii, Pyricularia oryzae, Fusarium oxysporium and Collectothricom cassiicola, in an LB- agar medium containing 1.5% swollen chitin, significantly inhibitied fungal growth. Fungal hyphae grew rapidly outward from the culture dish center, but the hyphal extensions of the pathogenic fungi were significantly inhibited in a perimetric contact area with S. marcescens. This was especially evident in pathogenic fungi which have a high chitin content in their cell walls. The extracellular chitinase activities of S. marcescens were increased seven fold by the addition of 1.5% swollen chitin to the LB-broth, compared to chitinase activities in a culture medium without chitin. The type of induction was dependent on the various forms of chitin used. When the culture supernatant of S. marcescens or the chitinases of Streptomyces griceus purchased from Sigma Chemical Co., were incubated with the mycelium of F. oxysporium, the mycelium gradually burst as cultivation time progressed and completely lysed after incubation for 2 days. On the other hand, E. coli extract did not hydrolyze the F. oxysporium mycelium at all. These data showed that the chitinolytic activities of S. marcescens play important roles in the biochemical control of phytopathogenic fungi.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.647-652
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• 2004

Thermophilic microorganisms capable of producing chitinase enzymes were screened from samples collected from several crater and geothermal areas. The chitinolytic microorganisms were grown in a selective medium containing colloidal chitin. The Bacillus K29-14 isolate was found to exhibit the highest chitinase and chitin deacetylase activities. When grown in a chitin-containing medium, the isolate produced extracellular chitinase after 24 h of incubation. The optimum temperature and pH for the chitinase were $55^\circ{C}$ and pH 7, respectively, while those for the chitin deacetylase were $55^\circ{C}$ and pH 8, respectively. The thermostable chitinase and chitin deacetylase also retained 80- 90% of their activity after incubation for 5 h at $70^\circ{C}$. The divalent cations $CoCl_2\;and\;NiCl_2$, increased the chitinase activity, while $ZnCl_2$, inhibited the enzyme. The chitin deacetylase was also activated by the presence of $MgCl_2$ and inhibited by $MnCl_2,\;NiCl_2,\;and\;CaCl_2$. A zymogram analysis revealed several forms of chitinase, with a 67 kDa form being the major enzyme.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.61 no.3
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• pp.233-238
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• 2018

Chitinases are glycosyl hydrolases which cleave the ${\beta}$-1,4 linkage of chitin into oligo or monomers of N-acetylglucosamine. These bacterial enzymes have been used for a wide range of applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries. In this study, we isolated two potential chitinolytic strains, BAO-01 and BAO-02, from salt-fermented shrimp, which were shown to belong to the genus Salinivibrio through genetic characterization using 16S rRNA. These isolates were gram-positive, rod-shaped, and non-spore forming. BAO-01 showed greater growth and chitinase activity than BAO-02 after the incubation at $37^{\circ}C$ for 4 days. Both strains grew on a wide range of carbon and nitrogen sources, pH values, temperatures, and salt levels. However, they showed minor biochemical differences. In addition, their antimicrobial activities against foodborne pathogens and antibiotic susceptibilities were evaluated. These Salinivibrio spp. did not show bioamine production, hemolytic activity, and mucin degradation. Therefore, the in vitro screening results suggested that these bacteria could be widely used as new candidates for chitin hydrolyzation and seafood fermentation.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.7-12
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• 2003

Chitinase and chitobiase produced by Aeromonas sp. J-5003 were purified and characterized. The chitinase was purified to 19.4 folds by gel chromatography and ion-exchange chromatography with the overall yield of $2.2\%$ and the specific activity of 93.1 unit/mg. The purified enzyme showed a single band on SDS-PAGE with MW 54kDa. The optimum pH and temperature of the purified chitinase were 7.0 and $37^{\circ}C$, respectively, and this enzyme stable in the range of pH 6.0 to 10.0 below $37^{\circ}C$. $Mg^{2+},\;Ca^{2+}\;and\;Na^+$ slightly stimulated the chitinase activity. However, $Hg^{2+}\;and\;Fe^{3+}$ inhibited chitinase activity. The chitobiase was purified by Sephacryl HR-l00 gel chromatography and DEAE-Sephadex A-50 ion-exchange chromatography with 33.5 purification folds and $4.3\%$ yield. The purified enzyme showed a single band with MW 63 kDa. The optimum pH and temperature of the purified chitobiase were 7.0 and $37^{\circ}C$, respectively. And this enzyme was stable in the range of pH 6.0 to 9.0 and at the temperature below $37^{\circ}C$. The enzyme activity was increased by $Mn^{2+}$, but it was inhibited by $Ag^+$.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.299-305
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• 2014

In this paper, fractional factorial screening design (FFSD) and central composition design (CCD) were used to optimize the medium components for producing chitinase and gelatinase by Lysobacter capsici YS1215. Crab shell powder, nutrient broth and gelatin were proved to have significant effects on chitinase and gelatinase activity by FFSD first. An optimal medium was obtained by using a three factor CCD, which consisted of nutrient broth of $2.0gL^{-1}$, crab shell powder of $2.0gL^{-1}$ and gelatin of $1.0gL^{-1}$, respectively with the highest chitinase activity ($3.34UmL^{-1}$) and gelatinase activity ($14.15UmL^{-1}$). This value was 3.76 and 1.11 fold of the chitinase and gelatinase activity, respectively, compared to the lowest productive medium in the design matrix. In investigating potential of these enzymes partially purified from L. capsici YS1215 for biotechnological use, the crude enzymes was found to be inhibition against pathogenic fungal mycelia: Colletotrichum gleosporioides, Phytophthora capsici, and Rhizoctonia solani. In this study, we demonstrated the optimal medium for producing the chitinolytic and gelatinolytic enzymes by the strain YS1215 and the role of their enzymes that may be useful for further development of a biotechnological use and agricultural use for biological control of phytopathogenic fungi.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.67-76
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• 2013

A chitinolytic bacterial strain having strong antifungal activity was isolated and identified as Burkholderia cepacia MPC-7 based on 16S rRNA gene analysis. MPC-7 solubilized insoluble phosphorous in hydroxyapatite agar media. It produced gluconic acid and 2-keto-gluconic acid related to the decrease in pH of broth culture. The antagonist produced benzoic acid (BA) and phenylacetic acid (PA). The authentic compounds, BA and PA, showed a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity against yeast, several bacterial and fungal pathogens in vitro. To demonstrate the biocontrol efficiency of MPC-7 on late blight disease caused by Phyto-phthora capsici, pepper plants in pot trials were treated with modified medium only (M), M plus zoospore inoculation (MP), MPC-7 cultured broth (B) and B plus zoospore inoculation (BP). With the sudden increase in root mortality, plants in MP wilted as early as five days after pathogen inoculation. However, plant in BP did not show any symptom of wilting until five days. Root mortality in BP was markedly reduced for as much as 50%. Plants in B had higher dry weight, P concentration in root, and larger leaf area compared to those in M and MP. These results suggested that B. cepacia MPC-7 should be considered as a candidate for the biological fertilizer as well as antimicrobial agent for pepper plants.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.305-315
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• 2021

The cotton leafworm, Spodoptera littoralis, is a major pest in Egypt and many countries worldwide, and causes heavy economic losses. As a result, management measures to control the spread of the worm are required. S. littoralis nucleopolyhedrovirus (SpliNPV) is one of the most promising bioagents for the efficient control of insect pests. In this study, a chitinase gene (chitA) of a 1.8 kb DNA fragment was cloned and fully characterized from SpliNPV-EG1, an Egyptian isolate. A sequence of 601 amino acids was deduced when the gene was completely sequenced with a predicted molecular mass of 67 kDa for the preprotein. Transcriptional analyses using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) revealed that chitA transcripts were detected first at 12 h post infection (hpi) and remained detectable until 168 hpi, suggesting their transcriptional regulation from a putative late promoter motif. In addition, quantitative analysis using quantitative RT-PCR showed a steady increase of 7.86-fold at 12 hpi in chitA transcription levels, which increased up to 71.4-fold at 120 hpi. An approximately 50 kDa protein fragment with chitinolytic activity was purified from ChitA-induced bacterial culture and detected by western blotting with an anti-recombinant SpliNPV chitinase antibody. Moreover, purification of the expressed ChitA recombinant protein showed in vitro growth inhibition of two different fungi species, Fusarium solani and F. oxysporum, confirming that the enzyme assembly and activity was correct. The results supported the potential role and application of the SpliNPV-ChitA protein as a synergistic agent in agricultural fungal and pest control programs.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.129-135
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• 1992

A chitinase gene of Serratia marcescens ATCC 27117 was cloned and expressed in Escherichiu di. A genomic library of S, marcescens was constructed with pUC 19 and screened using the swollen chitin agar plate for chitinolytic clones. A positive clone showing chitinclearance contains a recombinant pCHI 89, composed of 8.9 Kb chromosomal DNA fragment and pUC 19. Plasmid pCHI 89 produced 58 KD chitinase in E. coli, which was coincided with one of five extracellular chitinases produced by S. nzarccscens. Restriction endonuclease cleavage sites of the 8.9 Kb insert DNA fragment were mapped. E. coli JM109 harboring pCHI 89 inhibits the growth of a plant pathogenic fungus, Fusarium oxysporum.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.171-175
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• 2003

The putative endochitinase gene, yheB of Escherichia coli K-12 is not expressed under lab culture conditions. The endochitinase gene was amplified by PCR and subcloned into pET28c vector and pQE9 vector, respectively. The endochitinase produced in E. coli harboring pET28c containing yheB or pQE9 vector containing yheE was partly released into the growth medium. The overproduced endochitinase was partially purified by His affinity column chromatography and DE-52 column chromatography. The apparent molecular weight of the endochitinase determined by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was about 97,000. The purified E. coli endochitinase showed maximal chitinolytic activity at pH 6 and $40^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.371-380
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• 2019

Termites are pests that cause serious economic and cultural damage by digesting wood cellulose. Termites are arthropods and have an epidermis surrounded by a chitin layer. To maintain a healthy epidermis, termites have chitinase (${\beta}$-1,4-poly-N-acetyl glucosamidinase, EC 3.2.1.14), an enzyme that hydrolyzes the ${\beta}$-1,4 bond of chitin. In this study, the amino acid sequence of the gene, which is presumed to be termite chitinolytic enzyme (NCBI accession no. KC477099), was obtained from a transcriptomic analysis of Reticulitermes speratus KMT001 in Bukhan Mountain, Korea. An NCBI protein BLAST search confirmed that the protein is a glycoside hydrolase family 18 (GH18). The highest homology value found was 47%, with a chitinase from Araneus ventricosus. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the KC477099 protein has the same origins as those of arthropods but has a very low similarity with other arthropod chitinases, resulting in separation at an early stage of evolution. The KC477099 protein contains two conserved motifs, which encode the general enzymatic characteristics of the GH18 group. The amino acid sequences $Asp^{156}-Trp^{157}-Glu^{158}$, which play an important role in the enzymatic activity of the GH18 group, were also present. This study suggests that the termite KC477099 protein is a new type of chitinase, which is evolutionarily distant from other insect chitinases.