Book ChapterDOI
Inhibition of Chitin Metabolism
G. W. Gooday
- pp 61-79
TLDR
The antifungal actions to be discussed here, of the very specific polyoxins and nikkomycins and of purified chit inases, are ample proof of the essential nature of chitin in fungal growth.Abstract:
Chitin, the (l→4)-β-linked homopolymer of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, is a characteristic component of the cell walls of nearly all zoopathogenic and phytopathogenic fungi, and also of the skeletal structures of most invertebrates. As vertebrates and higher plants do not produce this polysaccharide, chitin metabolism is an attractive target for antifungal agents and pesticides (Gooday 1977). A clear analogy is with the peptidoglycan of bacterial walls, the synthesis of which is inhibited by many antibacterial agents, notably the β-lactams, and the structure of which is attacked by the defensive enzyme, lysozyme. In the case of chitin we find that nature has exploited the potential of chitin as a target, with the antifungal antibiotics, polyoxins and nikkomycins, produced by streptomycetes isolated from soil, and with chitinases being used as defense enzymes by plants and animals. The antifungal actions to be discussed here, of the very specific polyoxins and nikkomycins and of purified chitinases, are ample proof of the essential nature of chitin in fungal growth.read more
Citations
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Chitin synthesis in human pathogenic fungi.
Carol A. Munro,Neil A. R. Gow +1 more
TL;DR: It has become clear that certain members of the CHS gene families of fungi are more important for growth, integrity and viability than others, and this knowledge has already led to the design of new classes of antifungal agents that are targeted against key enzyme activities.
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Involvement of chitinases of Bacillus thuringiensis during pathogenesis in insects
Mark N. Sampson,Graham W. Gooday +1 more
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References
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Journal ArticleDOI
Plant chitinases are potent inhibitors of fungal growth
TL;DR: It is reported here that the main proteinaceous inhibitor of fungal growth in bean leaves is chitinase, an enzyme that can be induced by the plant hormone ethylene, or by pathogen attack.
Journal ArticleDOI
Plant and bacterial chitinases differ in antifungal activity
TL;DR: The hypothesis that plant chitinases function to protect the host against fungal infections is strengthened, as antifungal activity and enzyme specificity are correlated with the different mechanisms of action of the two classes of enzymes.
BookDOI
Chitin in nature and technology
TL;DR: Chitin has been a landmark for polysaccharides and modified chitins, besides chitin itself, to the point that three International Conferences on Chitin / Chitosan were convened (Boston, U.S. A. 1977, Sapporo, Japan 1982 and Senigallia, Italy 1985).
Journal ArticleDOI
The structure of alpha-chitin.
Ram Minke,John Blackwell +1 more
TL;DR: The structure of α-chitin has been determined by X-ray diffraction, based on the intensity data from deproteinized lobster tendon Least-squares refinement shows that adjacent chains have alternating sense (i are antiparallel) In addition, there is a statistical distribution of side-chain orientations, such that all the hydroxyl groups form hydrogen bonds as discussed by the authors.
Journal ArticleDOI
Effect of Calcofluor white and Congo red on fungal cell wall morphogenesis: in vivo activation of chitin polymerization.
Cesar Roncero,Angeles Duran +1 more
TL;DR: Calcofluor White (a fluorochrome dye) affected the growth of Geotrichum lactis by causing lysis of cells at the hyphal tips, and Wheat germ agglutinin also affected chitin synthesis in protoplasts, and both dyes inhibited chit in and beta (1,3)-glucan synthases in isolated cell-free systems.