Chitinase (CTS)

Chitinase is essential for the degradation of chitin, a major component of the fungal cell wall. Chitin synthase and chitinase are expressed simultaneously, and contribute to cell wall synthesis and wall expansion. In the yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, disruption of the chitinase gene results in cell clumping due to failure of separation of the daughter cell from mother cell. On this basis, it appears that chitinase activity is essential for normal sporulation in yeast forms. Coccidioidomycosis, blastomycosis and histoplasmosis are three fungal respiratory diseases of humans which may be life-threatening, especially in immunosuppressed patients.

Two chitinase genes from Coccidioides immitis, cts1 and cts2, have been cloned and their expression in both the saprobic and parasitic phases of this pathogen have been studied.