Chitinases
Chitinases are enzymes that break down chitin. They are part of the 18-glycosyl-hydrolase family.
Chitinases are produced by:
- Humans and other mammals
- Microorganisms
- Plants
Chitinases contribute to the generation of carbon and nitrogen in the ecosystem. They are also used in agriculture to control pathogens.
Chitinases have the following functions:
- In fungi, they help with morphogenesis by breaking down the chitin content of fungal cell walls.
- In plants, they help resist fungal attack and counteract fungal growth by targeting fungal cell walls.
- In the human body, they are produced by stomach cells after chitin ingestion.
Chitinases are also found in bananas. Some believe that banana allergies are caused by a protein called chitinase.
Fiber from crustaceans, insects, mushrooms promotes digestion
The researchers found that a particular arm of the immune system also is involved in chitin digestion. Stomach distention after chitin ingestion activates an innate immune response that triggers stomach cells to ramp up production of enzymes, known as chitinases, that break down chitin. Of note, chitin is insoluble — incapable of being dissolved in liquid — and thus requires enzymes and harsh acidic conditions to digest.
Chitinases from Bacteria to Human
Chitinases of *Bacillus thuringiensis*: Phylogeny, Modular Structure, and Applied Potentials
Chitin, the second most abundant polysaccharide in nature after cellulose, is found in the exoskeleton of insects, fungi, yeast, and algae, and in the internal structures of other vertebrates. Chitinases are enzymes that degrade chitin. Chitinases contribute to the generation of carbon and nitrogen in the ecosystem. Chitin and chitinolytic enzymes are gaining importance for their biotechnological applications, especially the chitinases exploited in agriculture fields to control pathogens. Chitinases have a use in human health care, especially in human diseases like asthma. Chitinases have wide-ranging applications including the preparation of pharmaceutically important chitooligosaccharides and N-acetyl D glucosamine, preparation of single-cell protein, isolation of protoplasts from fungi and yeast, control of pathogenic fungi, treatment of chitinous waste, mosquito control and morphogenesis, etc.