The action of Bacillus circulans WL-12 chitinases on partially N-acetylated chitosan

Both chitinase A1 and D from Bacillus circulans WL-12 specifically hydrolyzed the N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidic bonds in 50% N-acetylated chitosan molecules to produce hetero-oligosaccharides with GlcNAc at the reducing end residues, together with GlcNAc and (GlcNAc)2. GlcN-GlcNAc and GlcN-GlcNAc-GlcNAc were produced as major hydrolysis products with chitinase A1 and D, respectively, but GlcN-GlcNAc was not detected in the digest of 50% N-acetylated chitosan with chitinase D.