Effect of the degree of acetylation of chitosan on its enzymatic hydrolysis with the preparation Celloviridin G20x

Abstract

The degree of acetylation exerted only insignificant effects on the enzymatic hydrolysis of chitosan, while affecting the composition of the resulting hydrolysates and their water solubility. Chitosan with various degrees of acetylation was produced by reacetylation of the original chitosan (the solvents, methanol and 2% acetic acid, were present at a ratio of 54:51 v/v; the amount of acetic anhydride was in the range 0.1-2.0 mmol per 1 g chitosan). Hydrolysis by the enzymatic preparation Celloviridin G20x was performed at the enzyme to substrate ratio of 1:400 in sodium-acetate buffer, pH 5.2 (55 degrees C) for 1 h.