Chitinase gene in bacteria

Chitinases are hydrolytic enzymes that break down glycosidic bonds in chitin. Chitinases belong to glycosyl hydrolase families. The chitinases are present in chitin-containing microorganisms, bacteria and plants with a diversity of roles, such as chitin metabolism in growing hyphae, defence mechanisms in response to pathogens and abiotic stress, in nutrition and parasitism. It is also used for production of single cell protein for animal and aquaculture feed, for the isolation of fungal protoplasts, preparation of bioactive chito-oligosaccharides and for phytopathogen inhibition, reinforcement of plant defence. In the current study biochemical and molecular methods are used to screen chitinase gene from the following bacteria i.e. Xanthomonas campestris, Pseudomonas syringae, Aurobacteria flouresecense, Azospirilla brasilense, Pantoea sp., Corynebacterium menutissum, Acinetobacter lwoffi and Bacillus cereus. This study will be helpful for Plant pathologist, Industrialist, Physician and Pharmacist etc.