Chitin, organic amendment

Chitinase induction in estuarine sediments was documented. Although the polymer chitin (poly-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine) is the major organic component of all arthropod exoskeletons and is prolific in the diatoms, there has been no demonstration of the chit in-induced hydrolytic enzymes (chitinases) responsible for the extracellular digestion of these ubiquitous chitins. Blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) exoskeleton was dosed into compacted anaerobic muds. Subsequent incubation for 30 d under aerobic ambient seawater conditions (28° C 12-15 ppt salinity) resulted in significant increases of chitinase in amended sediment as compared to controls which had... 

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