A New Bifunctional Chitosanase Enzyme from Streptomyces sp and Its Application in Production of Antioxidant Chitooligosaccharides

Chitosanases produced by microbes and plants are getting attention to explore vastly available marine waste. Chitooligosaccharides and glucosamine can be produced using chitosanase enzyme and have applications in food, pharma and other industries. A potential microbial chitosanase source was found after isolation and screening of chitosan degrading microbes from garden soil. An isolate, designated as C6 produced chitosanase enzyme upon induction by chitosan substrates. Production of 6 U/ml of chitosanase enzyme was achieved from this isolate on chitosan minimal salt broth medium at 32 A degrees C after 3 days of growth. The enzyme was able to hydrolyse both chitosan and cellulosic substrates. Enzymatic production of d-glucosamine and chitooligosaccharides were studied with various chitosan substrates using crude enzyme. The yield of glucosamine was found to be 40% after 2 h of reaction at 40 A degrees C, and chitosan oligomers were produced having two to six polymerizations at 60 A degrees C reaction temperature. The hydrolysates showed 50% antioxidant activity as compared to ascorbic acid.