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<h3>Introduction</h3> | <h3>Introduction</h3> | ||
<p>Besides cellulose, chitin is the most common natural polysaccharide in nature. Chitin is composed of β(1 -> 4) linked 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-β-D-glucose (<i>N</i>-acetylglucosamine). The polymer is a white, hard nitrogenous polysaccharide and is a component of fungi cell walls and of the exoskeletons of insects and crustaceans, like crabs or shrimps. <i>[Dutta et al., 2004; Kumar, 2000]</i> | <p>Besides cellulose, chitin is the most common natural polysaccharide in nature. Chitin is composed of β(1 -> 4) linked 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-β-D-glucose (<i>N</i>-acetylglucosamine). The polymer is a white, hard nitrogenous polysaccharide and is a component of fungi cell walls and of the exoskeletons of insects and crustaceans, like crabs or shrimps. <i>[Dutta et al., 2004; Kumar, 2000]</i> | ||
+ | <br><figure> | ||
+ | <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2017/9/99/T--TU_Darmstadt--Chitin.png", alt="Structure of Chitin", align="middle", width=700px, height=281px> | ||
+ | <figcaption> Structure of Chitin </figcaption> | ||
+ | </figure> | ||
<br>The extraction of chitin from crustaceans produces a lot of waste and uses a lot of chemicals. The waste of the seafood-processing industry, mostly the shells of crustaceans, contains 14 – 40 % chitin. This waste is treated with alternate acid and alkali to remove other components from the shells of the crustacean and to extract the chitin. The unnecessary components and the chemicals are waste. <i>[Kurita, 2006]</i> One approach to produce the polymer in an environmentally friendly way, are bacteria like <i>E. coli</i> which can produce chitin via a CHS. | <br>The extraction of chitin from crustaceans produces a lot of waste and uses a lot of chemicals. The waste of the seafood-processing industry, mostly the shells of crustaceans, contains 14 – 40 % chitin. This waste is treated with alternate acid and alkali to remove other components from the shells of the crustacean and to extract the chitin. The unnecessary components and the chemicals are waste. <i>[Kurita, 2006]</i> One approach to produce the polymer in an environmentally friendly way, are bacteria like <i>E. coli</i> which can produce chitin via a CHS. | ||
<br>The production of chitin appears to be important as it is a useful substance which finds applications in medicinal, industrial and biotechnological research. Chitin, and its derivate chitosan, is non-toxic, biocompatible and biodegradable. Their bioactivities are for example the promotion of wound healing or hemostatic activity, immune enhancement, eliciting biological responses, and antimicrobial activity. <i>[Kurita, 2006]</i> | <br>The production of chitin appears to be important as it is a useful substance which finds applications in medicinal, industrial and biotechnological research. Chitin, and its derivate chitosan, is non-toxic, biocompatible and biodegradable. Their bioactivities are for example the promotion of wound healing or hemostatic activity, immune enhancement, eliciting biological responses, and antimicrobial activity. <i>[Kurita, 2006]</i> |
Revision as of 11:30, 14 October 2017