Chitinase: An Addition to the List of Hydrolases in the Digestive Tract of Vertebrates

Jeuniaux, Charles

doi:10.1038/192135a0

Cited by 133 publications

(48 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…Early reports on chitinolytic activity in vertebrates ( Jeuniaux 1961) were confirmed following investigations on Gaucher disease, the most common lysosomal storage disorder in humans caused by an inherited deficiency in glucocerebrosidase (Beutler and Grabowski 1995). In the plasma of symptomatic patients with Gaucher disease, activity toward the artificial substrate 4-methylumbelliferyl-chitotriose is elevated several hundredfold (Hollak et al 1994).…”

mentioning

confidence: 85%

Evolution of Mammalian Chitinase(-Like) Members of Family 18 Glycosyl Hydrolases

et al. 2007

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Family 18 of glycosyl hydrolases encompasses chitinases and so-called chi-lectins lacking enzymatic activity due to amino acid substitutions in their active site. Both types of proteins widely occur in mammals although these organisms lack endogenous chitin. Their physiological function(s) as well as evolutionary relationships are still largely enigmatic. An overview of all family members is presented and their relationships are described. Molecular phylogenetic analyses suggest that both active chitinases (chitotriosidase and AMCase) result from an early gene duplication event. Further duplication events, followed by mutations leading to loss of chitinase activity, allowed evolution of the chi-lectins. The homologous genes encoding chitinase(-like) proteins are clustered in two distinct loci that display a high degree of synteny among mammals. Despite the shared chromosomal location and high homology, individual genes have evolved independently. Orthologs are more closely related than paralogues, and calculated substitution rate ratios indicate that protein-coding sequences underwent purifying selection. Substantial gene specialization has occurred in time, allowing for tissue-specific expression of pH optimized chitinases and chilectins. Finally, several family 18 chitinase-like proteins are present only in certain lineages of mammals, exemplifying recent evolutionary events in the chitinase protein family.

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confidence: 85%

Evolution of Mammalian Chitinase(-Like) Members of Family 18 Glycosyl Hydrolases

et al. 2007

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“…In fact, all but two of approximately 150 fish species tested for gut chitinases, gave positive results, the exceptions being the cyprinid fish species under study were of bacterial origin only (Goodrich & Morita, 1977b), which was generally accepted until Jeuniaux (1961) described chitinases as hydrolases that can also be synthesized in vertebrate tissues. Dandrifosse et al (1965) were able to show that in vitro chitinases could indeed be synthesized and secreted by the gastric mucosa of Anguilla ~nflgaris (Cuv.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Over the past 25 years, the presence of chitinases in the guts of fishes has been demonstrated in many studies (Jeuniaux, 1961(Jeuniaux, , 1963Okutani, 1966;Cohn, 1972;Micha et al, 1973;P6r&s et a1.,'1973;Goodrich & Morita, 1977 a,b;King et al, 1977;F~inge et al, 1979;Lindsay, 1984;Rehbein et al, 1986). In fact, all but two of approximately 150 fish species tested for gut chitinases, gave positive results, the exceptions being the cyprinid fish species under study were of bacterial origin only (Goodrich & Morita, 1977b), which was generally accepted until Jeuniaux (1961) described chitinases as hydrolases that can also be synthesized in vertebrate tissues.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Digestibility of chitin in cod,Gadus morhua, in vivo

Danulat¹

1987

Helgolander Meeresunters

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Sixteen cod, Gadus morhua (L.), were individually fed a single ration of shrimps, Crangon allmanni. Four fish were killed and examined 6, 12, 24 and 48 h after the fish had been fed.Chitinase activities were measured in the extracts of stomach contents, stomach tissue, pyloric caecae, intestinal contents and intestinal tissue. The level of enzyme activity in different parts of the digestive tract was shown to be dependent on the phase of the digestive process. High concentrations of the chitin degradation product N-acetyl-D-glucosamine were determined in the stomach and in the intestinal contents. Based on the chitin concentration in the food organisms and the individual food uptake, the amount of chitin consumed by each fish could be calculated. Only up to 9 % of the ingested chitin was recovered from the intestinal contents of the fish at any given time after feeding (6, 12, 24 and 48 h). In addition, only 2.4 % of the chitin consumed with the food could be recovered in the collected faeces of the fish. The 4 cod killed 48 h after feeding had completely emptied their stomach. Chitin digestion in these fish was calculated to have been 90 %.

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“…Ambos análisis ofrecen ciertas desventajas. El principal inconveniente del análisis fecal es que los alimentos, al pasar por el tracto digestivo completo, pueden presentar grados de digestibilidad diferenciales, de modo que los resultados que se obtengan pueden ser sesgados (Jeuniaux 1961, Hansson 1970, Dickman & Huang 1988, Bergman & Krebs 1993. La desventaja mayor del análisis de los contenidos estomacales es que se requiere a menudo el sacrificio de un número importante de animales (véanse Reichman 1975, Bar et al 1984, Kerley 1992, Tobin et al 1994, Mushtag et al 1995, situación que resulta poco factible para estudios de especies con pequeñas poblaciones y, más aún, cuando están bajo cierta amenaza de extinción o protección legal (Kronfeld & Dayan 1998).…”

Section: Discussionunclassified

Hábitos alimenticios de Lagidium viscacia y Abrocoma cinerea: roedores sintópicos en ambientes altoandinos del norte de Chile

Cortés

Rau

Miranda

et al. 2002

Rev. chil. hist. nat.

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Chitinase: An Addition to the List of Hydrolases in the Digestive Tract of Vertebrates

Cited by 133 publications

References 3 publications

Evolution of Mammalian Chitinase(-Like) Members of Family 18 Glycosyl Hydrolases

Evolution of Mammalian Chitinase(-Like) Members of Family 18 Glycosyl Hydrolases

Digestibility of chitin in cod,Gadus morhua, in vivo

Hábitos alimenticios de Lagidium viscacia y Abrocoma cinerea: roedores sintópicos en ambientes altoandinos del norte de Chile

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