S. marcescens PRNK-1로부터 얻어진 키틴분해 조효소와 식용 갈색거저리 유충으로부터 얻어진 콜로이달 키틴의 산업적 활용에 대하여 연구하였다. 식용 갈색거저리로부터 얻어진 키틴의 형태는 게 껍질에서 확인된 α-form 형태임을 X-ray 회절분석법과 FT-IR 분석법을 통하여 확인하였다. 게 껍질과 식용갈색거저리를 이용하여 제조한 콜로이달 키틴을 기질로 하여 S. marcescens PRNK-1로부터 얻어진 키틴분해 조효소와 반응한 결과 식용 갈색거저리 키틴에서 더 높은 함량의 N-아세틸글루코사민을 생성함을 확인하였다. 식용 갈색거저리 유충으로부터 얻어진 콜로이달 키틴이 S. marcescens PRNK-1로부터 얻어진 키틴분해 조효소와 반응하여 N-아세틸글루코사민 생산을 확인함으로써 산업적으로 응용 가능성이 매우 높을 것으로 기대된다.

In this study, crab shell chitin and Tenebrio molitor larva (Mealworm) chitin were characterized by X-ray diffraction and FTIR analysis. From the X-ray diffraction results, α-form chitin was observed four crystalline reflections, shown at 9.4°, 19.3°, 20.8°, and 23.3° in crab shell chitin, and at 9.44°, 19.3°, 20.7°, and 23.3° in mealworm chitin by crystalline structure. From the FT-IR spectra results, α-form chitin showed doublet at amide I band in both crab shell chitin and mealworm chitin. Manufacturing process of colloidal chitin from mealworm was conducted with acid, alkali, and decoloration and then adjusted at pH 6~7 with 70% ethanol. Degradation pattern of colloidal chitin from crab shell and mealworm was investigated after reaction of chitinase-producing bacterium Serratia marcescens PRNK-1 by TLC and HPLC. Production of N-acetyl-glucosamine showed rapidly at 3 hr after reaction with crab shell and mealworm colloidal chitin and crude enzyme of S. marcescens PRNK-1 on TLC plates. N-acetyl-glucosamine was produced by 5,041.3 ppm and 5,319.8 ppm at 3 days in crab shell colloidal chitin and in mealworm colloidal chitin, respectively, after reaction with crude enzyme of S. marcescens PRNK-1. Our results indicate that the colloidal chitin obtained from mealworm could be used as useful industrial resources at production of N-acetyl-glucosamine.