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Extracellular chitinase production by some members of the saprophytic Entomophthorales group

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Mycoscience

Abstract

Thirteen strains were isolated from different habitats, belonging to two genera, namely Conidiobolus and Basidiobolus, related to saprophytic Entomophthorales. Chitin flake colonization and agar-well diffusion tests were used to screen potential extracellular chitinase-producing strains in plate assays. Preliminary screening resulted in five chitinase producers that were further studied quantitatively. Results indicated that studied isolates of this group produced chitinase at different levels in chitin-containing as well as non-chitin-containing medium. Conidiobolus coronatus was found to be the most significant chitinase producer, giving 0.261 U/ml using colloidal chitin as a carbon source, among the isolates under study. This communication also reports the chitinolytic activity of Basidiobolus haptoporus, the effect of environmental and nutritional parameters on chitinase production, and utilization of fungal biomass as a carbon source, which hitherto had not been elaborated from this genus.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to Dr. M.C. Srinivasan (Scientist Emeritus, Agharkar Research Institute, Pune) for his expert opinions and guidance and Mrs. V.M. Waingankar for help in the isolation work. The authors are also thankful to the Director, Agharkar Research Institute, for providing facilities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mycology and Plant Pathology Group, Agharkar Research Institute, G G Agarkar Road, Pune, 411 004, India

    P. Mishra & S. K. Singh

  2. Microbial Sciences Division, Agharkar Research Institute, G G Agarkar Road, Pune, 411 004, India

    S. S. Nilegaonkar

Authors
  1. P. Mishra
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  2. S. K. Singh
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  3. S. S. Nilegaonkar
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Correspondence to S. S. Nilegaonkar.

Additional information

All the strains have been deposited and accessioned in National Fungal Culture Collection of India (NFCCI) (WDCM-932) At MACS’s Agharkar Research Institute, Pune, India.

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Mishra, P., Singh, S.K. & Nilegaonkar, S.S. Extracellular chitinase production by some members of the saprophytic Entomophthorales group. Mycoscience 52, 271–277 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10267-010-0090-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10267-010-0090-3

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