Molecular Cloning of Acinetobacter sp. WC-17 Gene Encoding Chitinase

The chitinase gene was cloned from Acinetobacter sp. WC-17 for investigating the genetic control and enzymatic properties of bacterial chitinase. A genomic library of Acinetobacter sp. WC-17 was prepared in E.coli JM109 by using pUC18 as a vector. The chitinase-positive clone containing 3.2kb insert fragment was obtained from 5, 000 insert-bearing transformants. The optimum pH and temperature of cloned enzyme were 6.0 and $55^{\circ}C$, respectively. Almost all the chitinase activity of E.coli recombinant was localized in the periplasmic fraction, while most of the enzyme activity of Acinetobacter sp. WC-17 was found in the extracellular fraction.