Molecular detection of bacterial and streptomycete chitinases in the environment

Sets of PCR primers were designed to amplify bacterial chitinases at differ ent levels of specificity. The bacterial chitinase group primers were succe ssful in targeting enzymes classified within the group A glycosyl hydrolase s of family 18. The widespread occurrence of group A bacterial chitinases i n actinomycetes was demonstrated. Streptomycete chitinase specific primers were designed and a collection of type strains of species changed in the ge nes Streptomyces were screened and shown to have at least one and usually m ultiple chitinase genes. The presence of the gene for the chitin binding pr otein was also demonstrated within the streptomycete type strains. These da ta indicate that streptomycetes are well equipped to degrade chitin. The de tection of group A chitinases in total community DNA is described and a san dy soil shown to contain more than 10 different genes using DGGE to indicat e genetic diversity.