α-Chitinase activity among lactic acid bacteria

Chitin is a polysaccharide widely distributed in nature. Among 115 strains from 29 species of lactic acid bacteria only strains belonging to Carnobacterium divergens and Carnobacterium maltaromaticum hydrolyzed α-chitin. This activity was not affected by temperature (10 °C versus 30 °C) and in most cases not subject to glucose catabolite repression.