Detection of chitin deacetylase activity after polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

Mucor racemosus and Rhizopus nigricans were used as sources of chitin deacetylases. Crude protein extracts were subjected to polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis at pH 8.9 (Davis system) or 4.3 (Reisfeld system) under native conditions. After electrophoresis, an overlay gel containing 0.1% (w/v) glycol chitin as substrate was incubated in contact with the separation gel. Chitin deacetylase activity was revealed by uv illumination with a transilluminator after staining for 5 min in 0.01% (w/v) Calcofluor white M2R. Chitosan (deacetylated chitin) generated by chitin deacetylases appeared more fluorescent than the intact chitin embedded in the overlay gel. Chitosan in a separate overlay gel was also subjected to a nitrous acid treatment which specifically depolymerizes chitosan while leaving chitin intact. Hydrolysis of chitosan by nitrous acid followed by Calcofluor staining yielded dark (nonfluorescent) bands (chitin deacetylase activities) in the fluorescent chitin-containing gel. Both assays revealed the presence of several chitin deacetylases from Zygomycetes. The same assays were performed after denaturing electrophoresis in 12% (w/v) polyacrylamide gels containing 0.1% (w/v) glycol chitin. Enzymes were renatured in buffered 1% (v/v) purified Triton X-100. Chitin deacetylases with estimated molecular weights between 26,000 and 64,000 were detected after Calcofluor staining. The assays were also performed in two-dimensional gel electrophoretic systems. Chitin deacetylases can be rapidly revealed by using the assay involving the nitrous acid treatment. However, both assays (with and without nitrous acid treatment) should be run to conclusively demonstrate chitin deacetylase activity after polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.