Characterization of a novel chitinase from a moderately halophilic bacterium, Virgibacillus marismortui strain M3-23

Abstract

A new chitinase produced by the moderately halophilic bacterium Virgibacillus marismortui strain M3-23 was identified and characterized. Distinguishable characteristics of high activity and stability at different pH, temperatures and salinity of M3-23 chitinase are reported. Analysis of the catalytic domain sequence from the enzyme highlighted its relationship to glycosyl hydrolase family 18. Comparison of the deduced chitinase sequence from strain M3-23 to known chitinases from Bacillus species showed low similarity (82%), suggested its novelty. This is the first report of the characterization of chitinase from the species V. marismortui. The halo-and thermo-tolerant nature of the chitinolytic enzyme allows its potential use in agricultural and industrial applications.

Halophilic Bacteria: Potentials and Applications in Biotechnology

“…A moderately halophilic bacterium Virgibacillus marismortui was isolated from shallow salt lakes with ability to produce chitinase (in absence of salt as well as in presence of high salinity (25-30 % NaCl w/v)). Such strains can be signifi cant for biocontrol purposes (Essghaier et al 2012 ).…”

A novel halo-alkali-tolerant and thermo-tolerant chitinase from Pseudoalteromonas sp. DC14 isolated from the Caspian Sea

“…Several bacterial strains from various genera of both soil and marine ecosystems were reported to contain chitinolytic activity. Bacterial strains from Aeromonas (Sashiwa et al 2002), Alteromonas (Tsujibo et al 1993;Orikoshi et al 2005), Arthrobacter (Lonhienne et al 2001;Wang et al 2009), Bacillus (Alam et al 1995;Sampson and Gooday 1998;Yuli et al 2004), Entrobacter (Chernin et al 1995 (Tsujibo et al 1993;Tsujibo et al 2000;Tsujibo et al 2003), Vibrio (Fukasawa et al 1992;Osama and Koga 1995) and Virgibacillus (Essghaier 2012) were noted for their chitinolytic activity. Recently, Wang and co-workers reported the isolation of chitinase-producing Pseudoalteromonas.…”

“…It was stable in a wide range of salinity, from 0 to 15 % (w/v), pH from pH 7 to 11 and temperature from 15 to 65°C. There are some reports about halo (Essghaier et al 2012), alkali (Sorokin et al 2012) and thermo-tolerant (Bhushan 2000;Christodoulou et al 2001;Dai et al 2011) chitinase, but the poly-extremophilic features of the novel enzyme made it a good candidate for industrial applications. The halo-tolerant nature of the enzyme is important because most industrial waste has a high level of salinity.…”

“…The halo-tolerant nature of the enzyme is important because most industrial waste has a high level of salinity. Furthermore, halo-tolerant chitinase may be applied as biocontrol agent to control disease in salt-tolerant plants (Essghaier et al 2012). Chitinase with alkaline pH stability has major potential in insect biological control, as their chitinous gut environments have an alkaline pH condition (Bansode and Bajekal 2006).…”

Hydrolytic Enzymes in Halophilic Bacteria, Properties and Biotechnological Potential

“…A moderately halophilic bacterium, Virgibacillus marismortui strain M3-23 that isolated from a Tunisian shallow salt lake produced a chitinase in the absence or presence of salt. The enzyme was partially purifi ed by ammonium sulphate precipitation and characterized, with maximal activity at 70 °C and pH 9.0 (Essghaier et al 2012 ). A halophilic chitinolytic bacterium, S. costicola strain 5SM-1 was isolated from a salted mud in Thailand.…”