Chitinase (EC 3.2.1.14) has partial lysozyme activity and is widely found in bacteria, fungi, animals and some plants. Chitinase belongs to the glycosyl hydrolase family. Chitinase catalyzes chito-oligosaccharide hydrolysis. Chitinases also can serve as prognostic biomarkers of disease progression. Chitinase can be used in the research of pathogenesis of various human fibrotic and inflammatory disorders, particularly those of the lung (idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, sarcoidosis, and asthma) and the gastrointestinal tract (inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) and colon cancer).
References:
[1]. Iseli B, et al. Plant chitinases use two different hydrolytic mechanisms. FEBS Lett. 1996 Mar 11;382(1-2):186-8.
[2]. Mazur M, et al. Chitinases and Chitinase-Like Proteins as Therapeutic Targets in Inflammatory Diseases, with a Special Focus on Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Jun 28;22(13):6966.