Open AccessA Pathway of Chitosan Formation in Mucor rouxii
Author(s) -
ARAKI Yoshio,
ITO Eiji
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
european journal of biochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1432-1033
pISSN - 0014-2956
DOI - 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1975.tb02139.x
Subject(s) - chitin , chitosan , chemistry , enzymatic hydrolysis , hydrolysis , enzyme , biochemistry , mucor , food science , penicillium
1 An enzyme that catalyzes hydrolysis of acetamido groups of chitin derivatives was found in the supernatant fraction of Mucor rouxii . 2 Partially O ‐hydroxyethylated chitin (glycol chitin) was used as a substrate in the purification and characterization of this enzyme. A 140‐fold purification was obtained by means of ammonium sulfate fractionation followed by chromatography on carboxymethylcellulose and DEAE‐cellulose. 3 The enzyme releases about 30% of the acetyl groups of glycol chitin, giving a product with a decreased sensitivity to lysozyme. The enzyme also deacetylates chitin and N ‐acetylchitooligoses, whereas it is inactive toward bacterial cell wall peptidoglycan, N ‐acetylated heparin, a polymer of N ‐acetylgalactosamine, di‐ N ‐acetylchitobiose and monomeric N ‐acetylglucosamine derivatives. 4 This enzyme shows a pH optimum of 5.5. The K m value for glycol chitin is 0.87 g/l or 2.6 mM with respect to monosaccharide residues. 5 The occurrence of this enzyme accounts for the formation of chitosan in fungi.