Research letterIncreased chitinase production by a non-pigmented mutant of Serratia marcescens

Ultraviolet light and nitrosoguanidine were used to mutagenize a red pigmented culture of Serratia marcescens, strain EB415, which produced chitinase. After mutagenesis, a stable, non-pigmented mutant designated BL40 was isolated which produced larger colonies and zones of clearing on solid medium containing colloidal chitin. In liquid medium with colloidal chitin as the sole carbon source both strains grew similarly but BL40 produced 160 units/ml of chitinase compared with 60 units/ml for EB 415, an increase of 167%. When chitin concentration was increased in the medium, chitinase production also increased. Chitinase appeared to be extracellular, since the supernatant from washed, sonicated cells for both strains showed no detectable amount of chitinolytic activity.