Functions of five chitin lyases from Pseudoalteromonas arabiensis N1230-9

Abstract:

Objective Chitin lyases are the key enzymes for bacteria to degrade chitin. Pseudoalteromonas arabiensis N1230-9 possesses five chitin lyase-encoding genes (woc28159, woc28160, woc28161, woc27404, and woc27232). Functional identification of these five genes is crucial for determining the ability of strain to degrade chitin.Methods The distribution patterns of five chitin lyases from strain N1230-9 in 44 model strains of Pseudomonas were analyzed by bioinformatics methods. The transcription levels of five chitin lyase-encoding genes of strain N1230-9 cultured in the medium with chitin as the sole carbon source were analyzed by RT-qPCR. The mutants with deletion of chitin lyase-encoding genes were constructed by homologous recombination, and their abilities to degrade chitin were evaluated.Results Thirty-three Pseudoalteromonas strains possessed chitin lyase homologous proteins of strain N1230-9. Chitin significantly upregulated the transcription levels of woc28159, woc28160, woc28161, and woc27404, and the deletion of each of the four genes weakened the chitin-degradation ability. The transcription level of woc27232 was not affected by chitin, and the deletion of this gene did not affect the chitin-degradation ability of the strain.Conclusion WOC28159 and WOC28161 are necessary for the degradation of chitin by strain N1230-9. WOC28160 and WOC27404 endow strain N1230-9 with efficient chitin-degrading ability, while WOC27232 does not participate in the chitin degradation process.