Chitinases in the tree of life: Ecological, kinetic and structural studies of archaeal and marine bacterial chitinases

摘要: Chitin is after cellulose the second most abundant biopolymer on earth. It’s production enormous, with estimates of up to 1011 tons for both annual and steady-state amount. consists β-1,4 glycosidic bonded N-acetyl-glucosamine subunits. degradation especially in oceans an important step ensure continuous availability carbon nitrogen. very resilient physicochemical due its structure. It mainly biodegraded by microorganisms. Until now three pathways are know, utilising different enzymes. One enzyme found biodegradation bacteria, fungi archaea chitinase. Chitinases hydrolyse bond between This used not only recovery nutrients microorganisms, it plays also a major role moulting arthropods utilised defence mechanisms higher organisms. enzyme, as proxy chitinolytic activity, detected molecular methods cultivation based approaches. Most studies detecting chitinases do either test genetic capability or growth respective microorganisms chitin. Moreover, direct proof itself lacking many studies. more comprehensive chitinase panel, combining screening cultivated strains their capabilities has been implemented yet. Furthermore, search organisms was focused bacteria fungi, but almost no chitin degrading were until now. Within this study novel panel established tested, consisting isolation sole nitrogen source, evaluation activity. approach investigate isolated from marine microbial communities (Mediterranean Deep Sea sediments Baltic shrimp carapaces). In addition, bacterial (bryozoan derived isolates actinomycetes) KiWiZ strain collection investigated. total, 145 investigated study. first crenarchaeal gene Sulfolobus tokodaii detected, expressed E. coli resulting described. halophilic euryarchaeon Halobacterium salinarum time coli.