DEGRADATION OF CHITOSAN IN THE AUTOLYSIS OF MUCORALES

The degradation of chitosan by enzymes present in the culture medium of seven fungi of the order Mucorales was studied during their autolysis. Constant levels of endochitosanase activity were detected during incubation of most of these fungi. Exochitosanase activity was detected in Mucor hiemalis, Mucor rouxii, Rhizopus stolonifer and Syncephalastrum racemosum. No exochitinase activity was found but endochitinase activity was detected in 40 day autolysed cultures of all the fungi and chitin deacetylase activity was indirectly detected in most of the fungi.