ENDOCHITINASES FROM CASTANEA-CRENATA COTYLEDONS

Three constitutive endochitinase isoforms were purified from the cotyl edons of Castanea crenata. All three isoforms are basic with pI betwee n 8.5 and 9, possess approximate molecular weights of 25 000, 26 000, and 25 500, and have been named Cha, Chb, and Chc, respectively. All i soforms cross-reacted with antibodies raised against Ch1 chitinase pre viously purified from Castanea sativa. The molecular weights and amino acid compositions of Cha, Chb, and Chc suggest that these proteins be long to the class II endochitinases.