title: Expression and characterization of the 42 kDa chitinase of the biocontrol fungus Metarhizium anisopliae in Escherichia coli.
abstract: Albeit Metarhizium anisopliae is the best-characterized entomopathogenic fungus, the role of some hydrolytic enzymes during host cuticle penetration has not yet been established. Three chitinase genes (chit1, chi2, chi3) from Metarhizium have already been isolated. To characterize the chitinase coded by the chit1 gene, we expressed the active protein (CHIT42) in Escherichia coli using a T7-based promoter expression vector. The recombinant protein, CHIT42, is active against glycol chitin and synthetic N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) dimer and tetramer substrates. These activities suggest that the recombinant CHIT42 acts as an endochitinase.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biotechnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: César Milton
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Baratto
authors.forename: Marcia Vanusa
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Lucélia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Santi
authors.forename: Luciane
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Passaglia
authors.forename: Irene Silveira
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Schrank
authors.forename: Marilene Henning
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Vainstein
authors.forename: Augusto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schrank
mesh_terms: D002688:Chitinases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D003470:Culture Media; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D006999:Hypocreales / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D010572:Pest Control, Biological; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D002688:Chitinases