Team:Northwestern/Project/Chitin Synthesis

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Chitin is an abundant biopolymer found primarily in the exoskeletons of arthropods, including many insects and crustaceans. Composed of N-acetylglucosamine monomers (Figure 1), it functions analogously to keratin in mammalian skin, providing a support matrix for the protective outer surface of these animals. Similarly, most fungi produce chitin in their cell walls for structural support and chitin production depends on a series of enzymatic steps, shown below (Figure 2).
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Chitin is an abundant biopolymer found primarily in the exoskeletons of arthropods, including many insects and crustaceans. Composed of N-acetylglucosamine monomers (Figure 1), it functions analogously to keratin in mammalian skin, providing a support matrix for the protective outer surface of these animals. Similarly, most fungi produce chitin in their cell walls for structural support. Chitin production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae depends on a series of enzymatic steps (Figure 2).[[image:chitin_wikipedia.png|frame|right|alt=alt text|'''Figure 1''' Chitin molecular structure. <br /> Source: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitin  Wikipedia - Chitin]]] <br />
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[[image:chitin_wikipedia.png|frame|right|alt=alt text|'''Figure 1''' Chitin molecular structure. <br /> Source: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitin  Wikipedia - Chitin]]] <br />
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One enzyme in this pathway, chitin synthase 3 (CHS3), was previously found to be among the most active chitin sythases in the chitin synthase family of enzymes and does not require additional cofactors to function. As a result, we use CHS3 as the chitin production mechanism in our inducible system ([http://partsregistry.org/Part:BBa_K418007 BBa_K418007]). [[image:chitin synthesis small.jpg|frame|center|alt=alt text|'''Figure 2''' Chitin synthesis pathway. <br /> Adapted from Figure 3.1 of <u>Chitin: Fulfilling a Biomaterials Promise</u> by Eugene Khor.]]<br />
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Chitin has many applications, particularly in medicine and industry. Currently, nearly all chitin is obtained from natural sources (i.e. shells of crustaceans). Thus, a method of recombinant chitin production may have commercial applications. Several examples of chitin usage are listed below:
'''SIGNIFICANCE OF CHITIN''':
'''SIGNIFICANCE OF CHITIN''':
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*Dietary supplement
*Dietary supplement
*Water purification
*Water purification
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*Biodegradable
 
*Edible microcrystalline films used to preserve food
*Edible microcrystalline films used to preserve food
*Sequestering of particles (i.e. oil)
*Sequestering of particles (i.e. oil)
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*Biodegradable/non-pollutant
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Chitin Synthase 3 (CHS3) was cloned out of Saccharomyces Cerevisiae (S.C.) cDNA.
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CHS3 from S.C. was chosen because the the protein does not require cofactors or activation factors and also because it was determined to be the most active of the Chitin Synthase family.
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Chitin Synthase polymerizes N-Acetyl-D-Glucosamine, also known as Chitin, with substrate as UDP-N-Acetyl-D-Glucosamine.
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Latest revision as of 20:11, 25 October 2010


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Modeling Chassis Induction Chitin Apoptosis


Chitin is an abundant biopolymer found primarily in the exoskeletons of arthropods, including many insects and crustaceans. Composed of N-acetylglucosamine monomers (Figure 1), it functions analogously to keratin in mammalian skin, providing a support matrix for the protective outer surface of these animals. Similarly, most fungi produce chitin in their cell walls for structural support. Chitin production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae depends on a series of enzymatic steps (Figure 2).
alt text
Figure 1 Chitin molecular structure.
Source: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitin Wikipedia - Chitin]

One enzyme in this pathway, chitin synthase 3 (CHS3), was previously found to be among the most active chitin sythases in the chitin synthase family of enzymes and does not require additional cofactors to function. As a result, we use CHS3 as the chitin production mechanism in our inducible system ([http://partsregistry.org/Part:BBa_K418007 BBa_K418007]).
alt text
Figure 2 Chitin synthesis pathway.
Adapted from Figure 3.1 of Chitin: Fulfilling a Biomaterials Promise by Eugene Khor.


Chitin has many applications, particularly in medicine and industry. Currently, nearly all chitin is obtained from natural sources (i.e. shells of crustaceans). Thus, a method of recombinant chitin production may have commercial applications. Several examples of chitin usage are listed below:

SIGNIFICANCE OF CHITIN:

Medicinal Use:

  • Wound and burn treatment/healing
  • Hemostasis for orthopedic treatment of broken bones
  • Viscoelastic solutions for ophthamology and orthopedic surgery
  • Abdominal adhesion treatment
  • Antibacterial and antifungal agents
  • Tumor therapies
  • Microsurgery and neurosurgery
  • Treatment of chronic wounds, ulcers and bleeding (chitin powder)

Industrial Use:

  • Food/Pharmaceutical/Agricultural/Cosmetic thickener, stabilizer
  • Agricultural protection
  • Water resistant properties
  • Dietary supplement
  • Water purification
  • Edible microcrystalline films used to preserve food
  • Sequestering of particles (i.e. oil)
  • Biodegradable/non-pollutant
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