Chitinase but N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase production correlates to the biomass decline in Penicillium and Aspergillus species.

Hydrolytic enzyme production is typical of the autolysis in filamentous fungi; however, less attention has been given to the physiological role of the enzymes. Here, the aim was to investigate the possible relation of the chitinolytic enzymes to the changes in the biomass in some filamentous fungi of high importance for pharmaceutical or food industry. In Penicillium and Aspergillus filamentous fungi, which showed different characteristics in submerged cultures, the growth and biomass decline rates were calculated and correlated to the chitinase and N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase enzyme productions. Correlation was found between the biomass decrease rate and the chitinase level at the stationary growth phase; while chitinase production covariates negatively with N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase activities. The chitinase production and the intensive autolysis hindered the production of N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase and, therefore, could hinder the cell death in the cultures.