Characterization of chitinase from Shewanella inventionis HE3 with bio-insecticidal effect against granary weevil, Sitophilus granarius Linnaeus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Abstract A 40 kDa chitinase from Shewanella inventionis HE3 was purified (ChiA-Si40) and characterized. Using fermentor with an optimized medium for 48 h at 37 °C, enzyme activity was enhanced by 10-times compared to those using shaking-flask-culture. Purified chitinase is a homogenous monomer with molecular mass of 40 kDa. Its N-terminal residues revealed significant identity with glycoside hydrolase family 18 (GH18) chitinases from Gammaproteobacteria. Using colloidal chitin as a substrate, its finest activity was accomplished at pH 4 and a temperature of 70 °C. Its catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km) was superior to that of some bacterial GH18 chitinases and commercial enzyme, Chitodextrinase®. For scale-up and with regards to the improvement of ChiA-Si40 with PEG-6000 storage stability (6 months), the atomizing process was more pronounced than that of lyophilizing. Bio-assay of ChiA-Si40 against grain weevil Sitophilus granarius, indicates that it had an efficient insecticidal effect. About 10 to 100% mortality rates were obtained 1-h after insect came in contact with ChiA-Si40. Histological study clearly demonstrated that luxury larval mid-gut, peritrophic-membrane, and epithelial-cells have been affected considerably after ChiA-Si40 treatment. These properties make ChiA-Si40 a potential bio-insecticidal agent for the biological control of S. granarius that is popular among insect pests of stored grains in Algeria.