title: Bacterial chitinases and chitin-binding proteins as virulence factors.
abstract: Bacterial chitinases (EC 3.2.1.14) and chitin-binding proteins (CBPs) play a fundamental role in the degradation of the ubiquitous biopolymer chitin, and the degradation products serve as an important nutrient source for marine- and soil-dwelling bacteria. However, it has recently become clear that representatives of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial pathogens encode chitinases and CBPs that support infection of non-chitinous mammalian hosts. This review addresses this biological role of bacterial chitinases and CBPs in terms of substrate specificities, regulation, secretion and involvement in cellular and animal infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Disease Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Grønnegaardsvej 15, 1870 Frederiksberg C., Denmark.
authors.forename: Rikki F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Frederiksen
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Disease Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Grønnegaardsvej 15, 1870 Frederiksberg C., Denmark.
authors.forename: Dafni K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Paspaliari
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Disease Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Grønnegaardsvej 15, 1870 Frederiksberg C., Denmark.
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Larsen
authors.affiliation: Carlsberg Laboratory, Gamle Carlsbergvej 10, 1799 Copenhagen V., Denmark.|Department of Veterinary Disease Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Grønnegaardsvej 15, 1870 Frederiksberg C., Denmark.
authors.forename: Birgit G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Storgaard
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Disease Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Grønnegaardsvej 15, 1870 Frederiksberg C., Denmark.
authors.forename: Marianne H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Larsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Disease Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Grønnegaardsvej 15, 1870 Frederiksberg C., Denmark.
authors.forename: Hanne
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ingmer
authors.affiliation: Carlsberg Laboratory, Gamle Carlsbergvej 10, 1799 Copenhagen V., Denmark.
authors.forename: Monica M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Palcic
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Disease Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Grønnegaardsvej 15, 1870 Frederiksberg C., Denmark.
authors.forename: Jørgen J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Leisner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002686:Chitin / Q000378:metabolism*; D002688:Chitinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D037521:Virulence Factors; D002686:Chitin; D002688:Chitinases