MICROBIAL CONVERSION OF SHRIMP SHELL CHITIN AND ENZYME PRODUSION

A strain of Actinomyces which possesses chitinase activity was isolated from a sample of mud in seafood processing factory. It grows at temperature 30℃ and at pH 7. Chitin are utilized as the only source of carbon for Streptomyces sp. This Actinomycete was shake cultured in a media containing chitin, salts and trace metal salts at 30℃ for 72—96 hr. The results showed that the β-N-acetylglucosaminidase and β-N-acetylgalactosaminidase coexisted in this strain.