• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.171-175
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• 2003

The putative endochitinase gene, yheB of Escherichia coli K-12 is not expressed under lab culture conditions. The endochitinase gene was amplified by PCR and subcloned into pET28c vector and pQE9 vector, respectively. The endochitinase produced in E. coli harboring pET28c containing yheB or pQE9 vector containing yheE was partly released into the growth medium. The overproduced endochitinase was partially purified by His affinity column chromatography and DE-52 column chromatography. The apparent molecular weight of the endochitinase determined by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was about 97,000. The purified E. coli endochitinase showed maximal chitinolytic activity at pH 6 and $40^{\circ}C$.