title: Characterization of Clostridium paraputrificum chitinase A from a recombinant Escherichia coli.
abstract: Clostridium paraputrificum chitinase A (ChiA) was purified from a recombinant Escherichia coli. ChiA was active toward chitin from crab shells, colloidal chitin, glycol chitin, and 4-methylumbelliferyl beta-D-N,N'-diacetylchitobioside [4-MU-(GlcNAc)2]. ChiA showed maximum activity at pH 6.0 and its optimum temperature was 45 degrees C. ChiA was stable between pH 6.0 and 9.0 and at temperatures up to 40 degrees C. The K(m) and V(max) values of ChiA for 4-MU-(GlcNAc)2 were estimated to be 6.9 microM and 43 micromol/min/mg, respectively. Thin-layer chromatography indicated that ChiA hydrolyzes chitooligosaccharides to mainly chitobiose. ChiA was found to adsorb not only chitinous polymers but also cellulosic polymers.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Bioresources, Mie University, Kamihama 1515, Tsu 514-8507, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Morimoto
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karita
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakka
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohmiya