| Abstract: | In the presence of intact roots of 2-week-old axenic rape seedlings,added N, N', N', N'-tetraacetylchitotetraose was degradedto N, N'-diacetylchitobiose during 48 h of incubation. Onlyminute amounts of monomer (N-acetyglucosamine) were formed fromadded chitotetraose or chitobiose. The addition of a purifiedchitin suspension caused no measurable formation of degradationproducts. The formation of chitobiose from added chitotetraose was linear,suggesting the action of a constitutive enzyme during the incubationperiod. Key words: Brassica napus (L.) cv. Brink, rhizosphere, N, N'-diacetylchitobiose, N,N',N',N', tetraacetylchitotetraose |
