Chitin

About: Chitin is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 6590 publications have been published within this topic receiving 253993 citations.

Use of chitinous polymers in food: A challenge for food research and development

Abstract: The processing, safety and nutritional aspects, and functional properties (hydrophilic, interphasic, intermolecular, sensory) of chitin and chitosan are described in a detailed literature review. Their biomass recovery, their use for removing undesirable trace elements, dyes, and acidic components, and their applications as biodegradable carriers for food additives also are discussed. Numerous food applications for chitin (a mycopolysaccharide conjugated with protein) and chitosan (deacetylated chitin) can be identified for these waste products as coagulating and complexing agents. (wz)

A mutant of yeast defective in cellular morphogenesis.

Abstract: In the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, each bud appears within a ring of chitin formed in the cell wall of the mother cell. Temperature-sensitive mutants defective in gene cdc24 synthesize chitin at restrictive temperatures, but do not organize it into the discrete rings found in normal cells, nor do they form buds. The chitin ring or an annular precursor structure may play an essential role in reinforcing the region of the cell wall involved in budding.

Molecular cloning of a cell wall exo-beta-1,3-glucanase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Abstract: A major protein of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell walls is a 29-kilodalton glycoprotein which shows lectinlike binding to beta-1,3-glucan and chitin. It was solubilized by heating isolated cell walls at 90 degrees C and purified to homogeneity by running two high-pressure liquid chromatography columns. With the sequence information of the N terminus and seven peptides, two oligonucleotides were synthesized and the gene was cloned. Its sequence is similar to those of two plant beta-glucanases, and the protein was shown to possess beta-1,3-exoglucanase activity with laminarin as substrate. Haploid yeast cells contained one copy of the gene (BGL2). Gene disruption did not result in a phenotype.

Chitinases from Bacteria to Human: Properties, Applications, and Future Perspectives

Abstract: Chitin is the second most plenteous polysaccharide in nature after cellulose, present in cell walls of several fungi, exoskeletons of insects, and crustacean shells. Chitin does not accumulate in the environment due to presence of bacterial chitinases, despite its abundance. These enzymes are able to degrade chitin present in the cell walls of fungi as well as the exoskeletons of insect. They have shown being the potential agents for biological control of the plant diseases caused by various pathogenic fungi and insect pests and thus can be used as an alternative to chemical pesticides. There has been steady increase in demand of chitin derivatives, obtained by action of chitinases on chitin polymer for various industrial, clinical, and pharmaceutical purposes. Hence, this review focuses on properties and applications of chitinases starting from bacteria, followed by fungi, insects, plants, and vertebrates. Designing of chitinase by applying directed laboratory evolution and rational approaches for improved catalytic activity for cost-effective field applications has also been explored.