Characterization and heterologous expression of an age-dependent fungal/bacterial type chitinase of Aspergillus nidulans

Under carbon starvation, Aspergillus nidulans produced a fungal/bacterial type chitinase, ChiB. The chiB gene was cloned and subcloned into pJC40 expression vector containing a 10XHis fusion tag, and the ChiB protein was expressed heterologously in Escherichia coli. Recombinant and native ChiB enzymes shared the same optimal pH ranges and showed similar substrate specificities with endo-acting cleavage patterns.