Cultural conditions on the production of extracellular enzymes by Trichoderma isolates from tobacco rhizosphere

Abstract Twelve isolates of Trichoderma spp. isolated from tobacco rhizosphere were evaluated for their ability to produce chitinase and β-1,3-glucanase extracellular hydrolytic enzymes. Isolates ThJt1 and TvHt2, out of 12 isolates, produced maximum activities of chitinase and β-1,3-glucanase, respectively. In vitro production of chitinase and β-1,3-glucanase by isolates ThJt1 and TvHt2 was tested under different cultural conditions. The enzyme activities were significantly influenced by acidic pH and the optimum temperature was 30 °C. The chitin and cell walls of Sclerotium rolfsii, as carbon sources, supported the maximum and significantly higher chitinase activity by both isolates. The chitinase activity of isolate ThJt1 was suppressed significantly by fructose (80.28%), followed by glucose (77.42%), whereas the β-1,3-glucanase activity of ThJt1 and both enzymes of isolate TvHt2 were significantly suppressed by fructose, followed by sucrose. Ammonium nitrate as nitrogen source supported the maximum activity of chitinase in both isolates, whereas urea was a poor nitrogen source. Production of both enzymes by the isolates was significantly influenced by the cultural conditions. Thus, the isolates ThJt1 and TvHt2 showed higher levels of chitinase and β-1,3-glucanase activities and were capable of hydrolyzing the mycelium of S. rolfsii infecting tobacco. These organisms can be used therefore for assessment of their synergism in biomass production and biocontrol efficacy and for their field biocontrol ability against S. rolfsii and Pythium aphanidermatum infecting tobacco.

Biological control of the grapevine diseases ‘grey mold’ and ‘powdery mildew’ by Bacillus B27 and B29 strains.

Uncinula necator and Botrytis cinerea are the most destructive pathogens of the grapevine in Tunisia and elsewhere. We used two strains of Bacillus subtilis group, B27 and B29 to control powdery mildew and the grey mold disease of the grapevine. Green house experiments showed that B29 and B27 strains of the bacteria efficiently reduced the severity of powdery mildew up to 50% and 60%, respectively. Further, they decreased Botrytis cinerea development on grape leaf by 77% and 99%, respectively. The mode of action has been shown to be chitinolytic. These two bacteria showed significant production of total proteins discharged into the culture medium. Determination of some chitinolytic enzymes revealed the involvement of N-acetyl glucosaminidase (Nagase), the chitin-1,4-chitobiosidase (Biase) and endochitinase in degrading the mycelium of B. cinerea.

Production, purification and properties of fungal chitinases—A review.

After cellulose, chitin is the second most abundant organic and renewable polysaccharide in nature. This polymer is degraded by enzymes called chitinases which are a part of the glycoside hydrolase family. Chitinases have many important biophysiological functions and immense potential applications especially in control of phytopathogens, production of chito-oligosaccharides with numerous uses and in treatment and degradation of chitinous biowaste. At present many microbial sources are being explored and tapped for chitinase production which includes potential fungal cultures. With advancement in molecular biology and gene cloning techniques, research on fungal chitinases have made fast progress. The present review focuses on recent advances in fungal chitinases, containing a short introduction to types of chitinases, their fermentative production, purification and characterization and molecular cloning and expression.

Overexpression and characterization of a novel chitinase gene from a marine bacterium Pseudomonas sp. BK1.

The chitinase A (ChiA)-coding gene of Pseudomonas sp. BK1, which was isolated from a marine red alga Porphyra dentata, was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The structural gene consists of 1602 bp encoding a protein of 534 amino acids, with a predicted molecular weight of 55,370 Da. The deduced amino acid sequence of ChiA showed low identity (less than 32%) with other bacterial chitinases. The ChiA was composed of multiple domains, unlike the arrangement of domains in other bacterial chitinases. Recombinant ChiA overproduced as inclusion bodies was solubilized in the presence of 8 M urea, purified in a urea-denatured form and re-folded by removing urea. The purified enzyme showed maximum activity at pH 5.0 and 40 degrees C. It exhibited high activity towards glycol chitosan and glycol chitin, and lower activity towards colloidal chitin. The enzyme hydrolyzed the oligosaccharides from (GlcNAc)4 to (GlcNAc)6, but not GlcNAc to (GlcNAc)3. The results suggest that the ChiA is a novel enzyme, with different domain structure and action mode from bacterial family 18 chitinases.

Formulation of medium constituents by multiresponse analysis of central composite design to enhance chitinase production in Pantoea dispersa.

In the present study, a high chitinase producing strain Pantoea dispersa was isolated from the sea dumps at Bhavnagar, India. Chitin, urea, CaCl2 and MgSO4 x 7H2O were variables used in central composite design for chitinase production. Chitinase, biomass and pH were the responses used in different models to evaluate individually fit ones. Quadratic model was found to be fit for chitinase response whereas in the case of biomass and pH, linear model was found to be fit without the effect of others. Chitinase production was optimized with respect to other responses such as biomass and pH in multiresponse analysis of response surface design by using desirability approach. In multiresponse analysis, following medium formulation (g/l), chitin, 15; urea, 0.32; CaCl2, 0.10 and MgSO4 x 7H2O, 0.08 was found to predict optimum chitinase production of 482.77 units/ml with overall highest desirability of 0.854 as compared to other formulations. The selection of model was done on the basis of high Adjusted R-squared value and lowered p-value for each model in individual analysis of each response. In multiresponse experiment, it was found that for response chitinase quadratic model and for responses pH and biomass linear models were well fit. Through desirability analysis, it was found that in the chitinase production, pH was essential as compared to biomass in P. dispersa. Endochitinase and chitobiase actvities were also studied.

Isolation and identification of marine chitinolytic bacteria and their potential in antifungal biocontrol.

Chitinolytic marine bacterial strains (30) were isolated from the sea dumps at Bhavnagar, India. They were screened as chitinase producers on the basis of zone of clearance on chitin agar plates incorporated with calcofluor white M2R for the better resolution. Out of these, three strains namely, Pseudomonas sp., Pantoea dispersa and Enterobacter amnigenus showed high chitinase production. They were also found to produce proteases and therefore have a good potential for use as antifungal biocontrol agents for the control of fungal plant pathogens. These strains could degrade and utilize the mycelia of Macrophomina phaseoliena (Tassi) Goidanich and Fusarium sp. In vitro, these strains could inhibit the growth of Fusarium sp. and M. phaseolina. The culture filtrate inhibiting hyphal elongation was observed microscopically.

Biological control of Fusarium wilt of pigeonpea Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp with chitinolytic Alcaligenes xylosoxydans.

Alcaligenes xylosoxydans protected pigeonpea from Fusarium wilt in a pot experiment and field trials. When seeds of pigeonpea (C. cajan) were treated with A. xylosoxydans and sown in soil infested with Fusarium, the incidence of wilt was reduced by 43.5% and resulted in 58% higher grain yield. The antifungal activity of A. xylosoxydans was based on chitinase production and was comparable in efficacy to commercial antifungal agents such as benlate, monitor WP, thiram and bavistin.

Chitin degrading potential of bacteria from extreme and moderate environment.

Five hundred chitin-degrading bacteria were isolated from 20 different locations. High percentage of potent chitin-degraders was obtained from polluted regions. Potent chitin-degrading bacteria were selected by primary and secondary screening. Among the selected isolates, 78% were represented by the genus Streptomyces. Majority of the isolates had good chitinolysis relative to the growth although isolates with better growth were also seen. Such isolates are important for the production of SCP from chitinous wastes. The potent isolates belonged to the genera Streptomyces, Kitasatosporia, Saccharopolyspora, Nocardioides, Nocardiopsis, Herbidospora, Micromonospora, Microbispora, Actinoplanes, Serratia, Bacillus and Pseudomonas. This study forms a comprehensive base for the study of diversity of chitinolytic systems of bacteria.

Vicilins (7S storage globulins) of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) seeds bind to chitinous structures of the midgut of Callosobruchus maculatus (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) larvae

The presence of chitin in midgut structures of Callosobruchus maculatus larvae was shown by chemical and immunocytochemical methods. Detection by Western blotting of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) seed vicilins (7S storage proteins) bound to these structures suggested that C. maculatus-susceptible vicilins presented less staining when compared to C. maculatus-resistant vicilins. Storage proteins present in the microvilli in the larval midgut of the bruchid were recognized by immunolabeling of vicilins in the appropriate sections with immunogold conjugates. These labeling sites coincided with the sites labeled by an anti-chitin antibody. These results, taken together with those previously published showing that the lower rates of hydrolysis of variant vicilins from C. maculatus-resistant seeds by the insect's midgut proteinases and those showing that vicilins bind to chitin matrices, may explain the detrimental effects of variant vicilins on the development of C. maculatus larvae

Flow cytometry analysis of cell cycle in myosin II-deficient yeast

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether cell cycle changes can be detected in myosin II-deficient cells using flow cytometry techniques. BACKGROUND: Although the primary role of myosin II (Myo1p) in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is in cytokinesis we have reported that this conventional myosin also appears to inuence the regulation of cell wall metabolism as indicated by increases in the expression of chitin metabolizing enzymes in a null mutant of the MYO1 gene. The expression of these enzymes is known to be regulated in the cell cycle suggesting that cell cycle changes may alter their expression. METHODS: Flow cytometry was employed to assess the nuclear DNA content of logarithmic yeast cell cultures as a means of determining changes in the cell cycle of Myo1p-deficient cells. RESULTS: Significant changes were observed in the Myo1p-deficient strain suggesting that these cells are arrested in G2/M-phase of the cell cycle. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the results of this preliminary study, we propose a model in which the increased activity of chitin metabolizing enzymes may be explained by a mitotic arrest in these cells.

Chitin-binding proteins from cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) seeds

Vicilins (7S storage proteins) from cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) and other legume seeds were shown to bind to chitin, to regenerated chitin (fully acetylated chitin) and to chitosan (deacetylated chitin). Adsorbed vicilins were desorbed from these matrices by acetic and hydrochloric acids and by highly polymerized soluble chitosan. Proteins such as the lectin of common bean (PHA), soybean trypsin inhibitor (Kunitz), a beta-1,3-glucanase from cowpea seeds, bovine pancreatic alpha-chymotrypsin, chicken ovalbumin, serum albumin and rabbit-gamma- globulin did not bind. The present result is the first description of vicilin binding to chitin but other proteins, such as wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), a lectin that contains the so called "chitin-binding domain", and a chitinase isolated from cowpea seeds, which are involved in the defense mechanisms of plants against insects and fungi, were also shown to bind to chitin as previously reported. The binding of vicilins to chitin is probably effected not through a "chitin-binding domain" because they do not share this sequence with the defense-related proteins cited above. We propose that this association of vicilins with chitin may be related to the effect of variant vicilins on the development of Callosobruchus maculatus (bruchid) in resistant cowpea seeds.