Kinetics of chitinase production. I. Chitin hydrolysis

As part of the development of a comprehensive mathematical model for chitinase production by Serratia marcescens QMB 1466 growing on chitin, the different mass transport and kinetic steps involved during chitin hydrolysis were studied. The experimental results for the hydrolysis of chitin by a crude preparation of chitinase show a system kinetically limited by the overall rate of chitin hydrolysis. This rate is linearly related to the concentration of enzyme adsorbed on the chitin particle. Adsorbed and bulk enzyme concentration were found to be related through a Langmuir type of isotherm.