Production of chitinases by Aphanocladium album grown on crystalline and colloidal chitin

Abstract The deuteromycete Aphanocladium album produced two endochitinases (EC 3.2.1.14) with apparent isoelectric points of 7.1 and 7.6 and seven exochitinases (EC 3.2.1.30) with apparent isoelectric points ranging from 3.8 to 6.4 when grown on a colloidal chitin preparation. With crystalline chitin as carbon source, two endochitinases (p I 7.1 and 7.6) and only one exochitanase (p I 4.9) were detected. The exochitinase p I 4.9, which was produced with both substrates, has a relative molecular mass of 44 000. The different chitinases could be separated by chromatofocusing and their specific activities were determined.