[Production of chitinase by Actinomyces kurssanovii and its properties]

Actinomyces kurssanovii, a culture producing large amounts of chitinase and chitobiase, was cultivated on a medium of the following composition (%): demineralized crab shells, 3.0; K2HPO4, 0.5; peptone, 0.2; yeast extract, 0.1; MgSO4-H2O, 0.09. The maximum amount of the enzymes was synthesized after growth in a fermenter of the actinomycete during 48 hours. The highest activity of chitinase is manifested at pH 7.0 and depends on ionic composition of the buffer, being higher in veronal buffer than in phosphate or tris//HC1 buffers. The chitinase and chitobiase of the strain decompose completely colloid chitin and chitin in demineralized crab shells with the formation of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine.