Chitinase from an Antarctic Bacterium, Sanguibacter sp. KCTC10714

A chitinase-producing bacterium strain KCTC10714 was isolated from sea sand around the King Sejong Station, King George Island in Antarctica. It was identified as Sanguibacter sp., based on the biochemical properties and 16S rRNA gene sequence. KCTC10714 chitinase showed enzyme activity in broad range of temperature from 0 to $70^{\circ}C$. At $0^{\circ}C$, it showed 70.9% of relative activity in comparison with 100%. The chitinase gene of KCTC10714 was cloned using inverse PCR cloning method. KCTC10714 chitinase gene was designated as chi21702. The ORF of chi21702 consisted of 1,449 bp (482 amino acid), and contained ChtBD3 (a chitin/cellulose binding domain) and an active site for chitinase family 18.