Chitinase

Function

Chitinases cleave the beta-1-4-glycosidic bond between the N-acetyl-D-glucosamine units of which chitin is comprised. Chitinases are present in plants, bacteria and fungi. The first chitinase structures were solved in 1994, from a bacterium (1ctn) and a plant (2hvm). A mechanism for chitin cleavage was proposed based on several structures and was later confirmed.

Disease

Chi is related to allergies and asthma.

Structural highlights

The binding site of chitin tetrasaccharide.^[1]