By targeted deletion of the polyglutamate operon (pga) in Bacillus licheniformis F11, a derivative form, F11.1 (⌬pga), was obtained that, along with lacking polyglutamate (PGA) formation, displayed enhanced proteolytic activities. The phenotypic properties were maintained in a strain in which the chiBA operon was additionally deleted: F11.4 (⌬chiBA ⌬pga). These genetically modified strains, carrying the ⌬pga deletion either alone (F11.1) or together with the ⌬chiBA (F11.4) deletion, were used in fermentations (20-liter scale) aiming at the deproteinization of shrimp shells in order to obtain long-chain chitin. After chemical deacetylation, the resulting chitosan samples were analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, size exclusion chromatography, and viscometry and compared to a chitosan preparation that was produced in parallel by chemical methods by a commercial chitosan supplier (GSRmbH). Though faint lipid impurities were present in the fermented polysaccharides, the viscosity of the material produced with the double-deletion mutant F11.4 (⌬pga ⌬chiBA) was higher than that of the chemically produced and commercially available samples (Cognis GmbH). Thus, enhanced proteolytic activities and a lack of chitinase activity render the double mutant F11.4 a powerful tool for the production of long-chain chitosan.Chitin {poly [-(134)-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine]}, a polysaccharide common to fungal cell walls and insect and crustacean carapaces, is-second only to cellulose-one of the most abundant natural polymers; it serves as the precursor of chitosan, a deacetylated derivative with numerous applications, e.g., in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and dairy products and in wastewater treatment, agriculture, and many other technological processes. Routinely, such applications require specific structural attributes, and the effectiveness and value of chitosan depend on its molecular weight and degree of deacetylation (21,27). Depending on the source and preparation, the physicochemical properties of chitin and chitosan may vary drastically (6); therefore, structural analysis of chitosan products is of the utmost importance.Procedures currently used to purify and transform chitin into chitosan (almost exclusively from shrimp shells) involve harsh chemical treatments accompanied by uncontrollable hydrolysis and chemical modifications, eventually resulting in the formation of undesired by-products such as irregularly deacetylated polymers (51). Since the removal of proteins and calcium carbonate by alternating acid and alkali treatments collaterally yields large amounts of aqueous waste, bioconversion is also desirable from the ecological point of view.As for the above-mentioned chemical procedures, biotechnological processes for chitin recovery follow the same rules of action (12); however, chemical demineralization and deproteinization approaches are replaced by fermentation steps using appropriate microorganisms. Due to the lack of harsh chemical agents, there is not only a considerable reduction of expenses for was...