title: Chitosanase activity of the enzyme previously reported as beta-1,3-1,4-glucanase from Bacillus circulans WL-12.
abstract: Chitosanases 33 kDa and 40 kDa in size were detected in the culture supernatant of Bacillus circulans WL-12. One of the two chitosanases, chitosanse 40 (40-kDa chitosanase) has been shown to be identical to the enzyme which has been reported previously as a beta-1,3-1,4-glucanase by Bueno et al. The enzyme has been classified into family 8 glycosyl hydrolases together with the enzymes formally known as cellulase family D. This enzyme named chitosanase 40/beta-1,3-1,4-glucanase hydrolyzed both chitosan and beta-1,3-1,4-glucan with similar efficiency. However, the production of the enzyme was induced with chitosan but not by beta-1,3-1,4-glucan. Therefore, it seems possible that the major substrate of this enzyme is chitosan rather than beta-1,3-1,4-glucan. Analysis of degradation products generated from partially N-acetylated chitosan showed that chitosanase 40/beta-1,3-1,4-glucanse hydrolyzes GlcN-GlcN and GlcN-GlcNAc linkages but not GlcNAc-GlcNAc nor GlcNAc-GlcN. The specificity for hydrolyzing linkages of this enzyme is similar to that of the chitosanase from S. griseus HUT6037.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Biological Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Saga University, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mitsutomi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Isono
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Uchiyama
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nikaidou
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ikegami
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Watanabe
mesh_terms: D001407:Bacillus / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D002236:Carbohydrate Conformation; D002240:Carbohydrate Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D044644:Endo-1,3(4)-beta-Glucanase; D004790:Enzyme Induction; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006868:Hydrolysis; D013045:Species Specificity; D013305:Streptomyces griseus / Q000201:enzymology