Chitinolytic Clostridia isolated from marine mud

Anaerobic chitinolytic bacteria were isolated from chitin-enriched marine sediments. All isolates were species of Clostridia and 9 out of a total of 15 were identified with established species. Although most of the isolates failed to produce detectable chitinase when grown in the absence of chitin, all caused breakdown of chitin to N-acetylglucosamine when grown in chitin-containing media. Thus, chitinase synthesis in these bacteria appears to be inducible.