Chitinase and changes of microbial community in soil.

Enrichment of soil with chitin (0.6%) significantly stimulated growth of chitinolytic microorganisms (the relative proportion was increased from 1.7 to 26.5%) and the formation of chitinase in soil. In a soil enriched with chitin and glucose (0.6%), the proportion of chitinolytic microorganisms remained similar to that in the nonenriched soil (1.4%), the enzyme formation was negatively affected.