DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHITINASE PRODUCER AND USE OF ENZYME PREPARATION FOR DISRUPTION OF MYCELIAL FUNGAL CELL WALL
A recombinant strain producing a complex of extracellular enzymes including chitinase from Myceliophtora thermophila was created based on the fungus Penicillium verruculosum . The activity of the enzyme preparations obtained from the cultural fluid of the producer strain was 0.55, 0.53, and 0.66 U/mg protein with chitin and chitosans with the molecular weight of 200 and 1000 kDa, respectively. The temperature optimum for the recombinant chitinase was 52-65°C; the pH optimum was 4.5-6.2, which corresponded to the published data for this class of the enzymes. The content of heterologous chitinase in the obtained enzyme preparations was 47% of total protein content in the cultural fluid. Enzyme preparations produced by the recombinant P. verruculosum XT403 strain and containing heterologous chitinase were able to degrade the mycelium of micromycetes, including phytopathogenic ones, and were very efficient in the bioconversion of microbiological industry waste.