Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Detection of nine chitinase species in germinating cells ofMucor rouxii

  • Published:
Current Microbiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

    We’re sorry, something doesn't seem to be working properly.

    Please try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, please contact support so we can address the problem.

Abstract

Chitinolytic activity in aerobically germinating cells ofMucor rouxii was studied. When an ammonium sulfate fraction (40% saturation) of cytosol was subjected to column chromatography in Bio-Gel P-100, two peaks of activity were separated: A and B, which showed molecular weights of 53 KDa and 28 KDa, respectively. After further purification by ion exchange chromatography in a column of DEAE Bio-Gel A, the lytic activity from peaks A and B resolved into four and five species, respectively. Species from peak A eluted with peaks at 0.075, 0.125, 0.160, and 0.225M NaCl, whereas those from peak B did so at 0.050, 0.125, 0.190, 0.240. and 0.300M NaCl. Like other chitinases from the same fungus, the ones detected here are of the exochitinolytic type, releasing diacetylchitobiose units from nascent chitin chains. The complex chitinolytic system in these cells is discussed and compared with that exhibited by exponentially growing cells of the same fungus.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Literature Cited

  1. Bartnicki-Garcia S (1973) Fundamental aspects of hyphal morphogenesis. In: Ashworth JM, Smith JE (eds) Microbial differentiation: Symposium 23 of the Society for General Microbiology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp 245–267

    Google Scholar 

  2. Bartnicki-Garcia S, Nickerson WJ (1962) Nutrition, growth and morphogenesis ofMucor rouxii. J. Bacteriol 84:841–858

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Cabib E (1987) The synthesis and degradation of chitin. Adv Enzymol 59:59–101

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Cano C, Ruiz-Herrera J (1988) Developmental stages during the germination ofMucor. sporangiospores. Exp Mycol 12:47–69

    Google Scholar 

  5. Chagolla A, Pedraza M, Lopez-Romero E (1987) Actividad quitinolitica en extractos libres de celulas miceliales deMucor rouxii. Rev Mex Micol 3:283–292

    Google Scholar 

  6. Gooday GW, Humphreys AM, McIntosh WH (1986) Roles of chitinases in fungal growth. In: Muzzarelli R, Jeuniaux C, Gooday GW (eds) Chitin in nature and technology. New York: Plenum Press, pp 83–91

    Google Scholar 

  7. Lopez-Romero E, Ruiz-Herrera J, Bartnicki-Garcia S (1982) The inhibitory protein of chitin synthetase fromMucor rouxii is a chitinase. Biochim Biophys Acta 702:233–236

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Lowry OH, Rosebrough NJ, Farr AL, Randall RJ (1951) Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J Biol Chem 193:265–275

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Pedraza-Reyes M, Lopez-Romero E (1989) Purification and some properties of two forms of chitinase from mycelial cells ofMucor rouxii. J Gen Microbiol 135:211–218

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Rosenberger RF (1979) Endogenous lytic enzymes and wall metabolism. In: Burnett JH, Trinci APJ (eds) Fungal walls and hyphal growth. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press pp 265–277

    Google Scholar 

  11. Wessels JGH (1986) Cell wall synthesis in apical hyphal growth. Int Rev Cytol 104:37–79

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Investigacion en Biologia Experimental, Facultad de Quimica, Universidad de Guanajuato, Apartado Postal 187, Gto. 36000, Guanajuato, Mexico

    Mario Pedraza-Reyes &  Everardo Lopez-Romero

  2. Departamento de Genetica y Biologia Molecular, Centro de Investigacion y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Apartado Postal 14-740, 07000, Mexico, Mexico

    Everardo Lopez-Romero

Authors
  1. Mario Pedraza-Reyes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Everardo Lopez-Romero
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Pedraza-Reyes, M., Lopez-Romero, E. Detection of nine chitinase species in germinating cells ofMucor rouxii . Current Microbiology 22, 43–46 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02106211

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02106211

Keywords

Search

Navigation