Specific Inhibition of Bombyx mori Chitinase by Allosamidin

Abstract

Allosamidin, a product of Streptomyces sp. No 1713, inhibited Bombyx mori chitinase specifically in a competitive way with a Ki of about 0.1 μM. The effect of allosamidin on chitinases from Streptomyces griseus and Serratia marcescens was weaker, about 1/500 that on B. mori chitinase. Allosamidin did not inhibit yam chitinase, lysozymes of hen egg-white or human urine, or B. mori β-N-acetyl-D-glucosaminidase. The results suggest that allosamidin is a specific inhibitor of the insect chitinase.