Chitinases: in agriculture and human healthcare

Abstract

Biological control of phytopathogenic fungi and insects continues to inspire the research and development of environmentally friendly bioactive alternatives. Potentially lytic enzymes, chitinases can act as a biocontrol agent against agriculturally important fungi and insects. The cell wall in fungi and protective covers, i.e. cuticle in insects shares a key structural polymer, chitin, a β-1,4-linked N-acetylglucosamine polymer. Therefore, it is advantageous to develop a common biocontrol agent against both of these groups. As chitin is absent in plants and mammals, targeting its metabolism will signify an eco-friendly strategy for the control of agriculturally important fungi and insects but is innocuous to mammals, plants, beneficial insects and other organisms. In addition, development of chitinase transgenic plant varieties probably holds the most promising method for augmenting agricultural crop protection and productivity, when properly integrated into traditional systems. Recently, human proteins with chitinase activity and chitinase-like proteins were identified and established as biomarkers for human diseases. This review covers the recent advances of chitinases as a biocontrol agent and its various applications including preparation of medically important chitooligosaccharides, bioconversion of chitin as well as in implementing chitinases as diagnostic and prognostic markers for numerous diseases and the prospect of their future utilization.

• Acidic mammalian chitinase (AMCase)
• antifungal
• biofungicide
• bioinsecticide
• biological control
• chitinase-like proteins
• chitotriosidase

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Prof. J. Eleazar Barboza-Corona, Universidad de Guanajuato Campus Irapuato-Salamanca, Mexico and Prof. Dr Julia Kzhyshkowska, University of Heidelberg, Germany for their thorough revision of this review and providing us with their invaluable suggestions.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

We acknowledge the financial support from Ministry of Environment and Forests (F. No. 19-35/2008-RE), India.