Chitinasome Identified in Chitinibacter tainanensis

N-acetyl-glucosamine is the monomer of chitin. Usually, it was applied on biomedicine, industry and agriculture. Recently, a microorganism, Chitinibacter tainanensis, was identified and N-acetyl-glucosamine can be obtained from the chitin degradation by the fermentate of C. tainanensis. The conversion efficiency can reach 98% with b-chitin as substrate. However, the N-acetyl-glucosamine only can be detected when the microorganisms were gone. There were rough particles can be observed in the outer membrane with electronic microscope. The particles posed both endochitinase and N-acetylglucosaminidase activities. The composition of the particles were also analyzed and showed multiple proteins. An enzyme complex was predicted.

 In the figures of electronic microscopy, a particle attached in the membrane of the bacteria, C. tainanensis Its debris of fermentation was collected. The complex was obtained by vortex the debris in the buffer with glycerol and detergent. And then, the complex was analyzed on native PAGE. The activity can be detected in the high molecular weights with the cover assay. And a single band was observed in the active region. Finally, the single band was sliced for analyzed ontwo dimensional electrophoresis. The results indicated there is a complex with multiple bands. The complex, “chitinasome” was identified and the constitutes will be explored.