RIASSUNTO
In this paper, we purified two native chitinases from the hepatopancreas of the ridgetail white prawn Exopalaemon carinicauda by using ion-exchange resin chromatography (IEC) and gel filtration. These two chitinases, named EcChi1 and EcChi2, were identified by chitinolytic activity assay and LC-ESI-MS/MS. Their apparent molecular weights were 44 kDa and 65 kDa as determined by sodium dodecyl-sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The specific activity of EcChi1 and EcChi2 was 1305.97 U·mg−1 and 28.69 U·mg−1. The optimal temperature and pH of EcChi1 were 37 °C and pH 4.0, respectively. Co2+, Fe3+, Zn2+, Cd2+, and Cu2+ had an obvious promoting effect upon chitinase activity of EcChi1. For colloidal chitin, the Km and Vmax values of EcChi1 were 2.09 mg·mL−1 and 31.15 U·mL−1·h−1.