Advances in Chitin and Chitosan Science

Abstract

Chitin is among the most abundant natural polysaccharides. This linear homopolymer of N-Acetyl-d-glucosamine and its deacetylated form (chitosan) have various biological and physiochemical properties: biodegradability, biocompatibility, and bioactivity. Chitin, chitosan, and their derivative are subjects of many studies leading to broad range applications in agriculture, biotechnology, and medicine: their use span from antimicrobial compounds to substrates for bio-energy production [1,2]. In addition, the various enzymes involved in their degradation and/or modification have received large attention, having important ecological roles and wide range of uses (from the production of specific derivatives to chitin/chitosan rich materials degradation and biological pest control) [3,4]. Among these enzymes, those produced by microorganisms are most interesting for their wide diffusion and easy production for possible applications. Bacteria and fungi from the different environments (from Antarctica soil to various marine environments) are considered the best sources of these enzymes [4,5,6,7]. Thus, the investigation of these polysaccharides and the related enzymes continue involving numerous scientists gathering in international societies and actively participating in international conferences. Many basic and application works have been done in the last decades to depict structure and potentiality of these biopolymers. Nevertheless, the number of new studies devoted to these topics is still high, indicating a constant vivid interest regarding chitin and chitosan science, which is also demonstrated by specific books and various recent special issues in different Journals. The Special Issue “Advances in Chitin and Chitosan Science” was aimed to give room to a broad platform for the diffusion of the most recent studies regarding chitin, chitosan, and related enzymes. Major topics were: chitin/chitosan chemistry and biochemistry; production and applications of chitin/chitosan and derivatives; bio-synthesis and bio-degradation of chitin/chitosan; and chitinolytic organisms and their applications. Thirteen high-quality papers, two review papers and one short report, describing new aspects of chitin and chitosan science, were published.