Antifungal Activity

 For antifungal activity and enzyme specificity, the Chitinases which were isolated from grains of maize, wheat and barley are compared with the obtained from Streptomyces griseus, Pseudomonas stutzeri and Serratia marcescens. Basing upon the inhibition of hyphal extension of the fungi Phycomyces blakesleeanus and Trichoderma reesei, the six enzymes were tested for antifungal activity using an assay. Antifungal activity was observed the bacterial chitinases had any effect on hyphal extension, even at 50 μg chitinase per assay as compared little as 1 μg of every of the grain chitinases. This difference in antifungal activity correlated with the different with mechanisms of action of the two classes of enzymes. In common the grain chitinases functioned as endochitinases and contained lysozyme activity as comoared with other plant chitinases. The bacterial enzymes are considered as exochitinases and which are hydrolysed with chromogenic trisaccharide analogue p-nitrophenyl-β-D-N, N'-diacetylchitobiose, which is proved to be a superb substrate for assaying bacterial chitinases in contrast. These experiments strengthen the hypothesis that plant chitinases function to guard the host against fungal infections. Thus, it is important to develop new sources of antifungal agents. Further development of antifungal compounds with diverse chemical structures and novel mechanisms of action is necessary because there has been an alarming increase in the incidence of new and re-emerging infectious diseases as well as resistance to currently used drugs. The investigations on new antifungal substances should be continued and all possible strategies and techniques need to be explored further.