Cloning of Serratia Liquefaciens Chitinase Gene(s)

Abstract

The production of plant chitinase(s) is induced upon attack by several plant pathogens (i.e. fungi, nematodes, viruses, etc.). This process can take up to several days and in the meanwhile the infection can become well established. Because cell walls of many of the plant pathogens are made up of chitin but chitin is absent in plants, such enzymes could possibly be involved in plant defense mechanisms. We have cloned chitinase gene(s) from Serratia liquefaciens in order to provide the plant roots and/or the entire plant with the ability to affect plant pathogens in situ. The ability of S. liquefaciens chitinase(s) to inhibit fungal growth is shown in Fig. 1.