BACTERIAL CATABOLISM OF CHITIN

Abstract: Four genes involved in the catabolism of chitin in Vibrio furnissii: endI encodes periplasmic chitodextrinase, exoI encodes periplasmic beta -N-acetylglucosaminidase, exoII encodes aryl beta -N-acetylglucosaminidase and chiA encodes extracellular chitinase are provided. The complete nucleotide sequence for each of the four genes and the complete amino acid for the corresponding enzymes are demonstrated along with host cells capable of expressing the recombinant enzymes. The present invention also describes four specific strains of V. furnissii having deletions in genes involved in the catabolic pathway of chitin and a process for the production of chitin oligosaccharides.

Description: BACTERIAL CATABOLISM OF CHITIN This patent application was supported in part by grants N00014-91-J-4033 , N00014-92-J-1936 and N00014- 93-1-0630 from the Office of Naval Research and grant 5 R37 GM38759 from the National Institutes of Health. The Government has certain rights in the invention. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is in the general field of the catabolic pathway of chitin and generally relates to genes encoding enzymes for cleaving chitin into its component parts. 2. Description of the Related Art At least 18 species of Vibrionaceae are chitinolytic. Six are human pathogens, including V. furnissii , V. cholerae and V. parahaemolyticus . A brief review (1) entitled "Cholera, Copepods, and Chitinase" describes the relationships between the Vibrios, zooplankton, annual cycles of the bacteria, the invertebrates, and human disease such as food poisoning and endemic cholera. One important element in the epidemiology (2) is that V. cholerae adhering to chitin particles are protected from acid (equivalent to the stomach acid barrier) which kills almost all of the free-living organisms. This protection is explained by the fact that virtually all of the microbes in zooplankton "burrow" into the organism, and are not exposed to the medium (3) . Chitin and chitosan are commercial products used (especially in Japan) in medicine, agriculture, and for waste and water treatment. The polymers are used as wound dressing synthetic skin, drug delivery systems, sutures, to make contact lenses, as anticholesteremic agents, bactericidal agents, etc. (4) . Chitin sutures are slowly degraded by lysozyme, and eventually absorbed, although nothing is known of the fate of the products, (GlcNAc) n . (GlcNAc) 6 is claimed to be a potent anti-metastatic agent against mouse bearing Lewis lung carcinoma, and (GlcNAc) n activate macrophages and the immune system. Although chitinase activities were recognized early in this century (5) , the first reports on the stepwise enzymatic degradation of the polymer appear to be those of Zechmeister and Toth (6) who chromatographed extracts of almond emulsin, and of the snail, Helix pomatia, and separated an exo and an endoenzyme from each. The chitinase or "polysaccharidase" converted particulate chitin to the disaccharide, N,N' -diacetylchitobiose, (GlcNAc) 2 , and the "chitobiase, " or β-N-acetylglucosaminidase (β-GlcNAcidase) , hydrolyzed the disaccharide to GlcNAc. Chitin degradation continues to be intensively studied (4,5,7) . Chitinases and chitobiases are found in bacteria, fungi, plants, and animals (vertebrates and invertebrates) . The structural genes encoding a number of these enzymes and some of their regulatory regions have been cloned and sequenced (5,8-21) . These data show that some organisms are capable of expressing multiple chitinases, but the pathway of chitin degradation is essentially the same as that proposed in the original studies (6), i.e., virtually all investigators agree that only two enzymes are required to degrade chitin to GlcNAc (5,7) . The results of the present invention with Vibrio furnissii differ markedly from this concept. This organism not only expresses unique hexosaminidases, but we estimate that more than two dozen proteins are required for utilization of the polysaccharide (conversion to GlcNAc-6-P) . Despite early interest in chitin utilization by marine bacteria, there are few reports on the pathway in these organisms. A chitinase gene was cloned from Aeromortas hydrophila (an aquatic bacterium) into E. coli (22) ; the enzyme is normally secreted by the Aero onas into the medium, but in the transformant it traversed only the inner membrane. Zyskind et al . (23,24) cloned the β-GlcNAcidase gene from V. harveyi into E. coli , found that it was transported to the outer membrane after cleavage of a signal sequence, and that the gene sequence was similar to that of the α-chain of human β-hexosaminidase (5) . In V. harveyi , the β-GlcNAcidase is induced by (GlcNAc) 2 . A β-GlcNAcidase gene has also been cloned from V. vul.ni.ficus (25) , and these researchers suggest that this single enzyme is responsible for the complete degradation of chitin to GlcNAc, although the E. coli transformant is unable to clear chitin on chitin/agar plates. The chitobiase gene from V. parahae olyticus was cloned into E. coli and the enzyme purified to homogeneity (26) . The purified preparation showed four closely stacked bands, which the authors speculate may result from post-translational processing at the C-terminus; the hexosaminidase was active over the pH range 4-10. Laine also reports in an Abstract from a recent meeting (27) that his laboratory has cloned a chitinase gene from V. parahaemolyticus , - the chitinase is secreted by the E. coli transformant. While chitin and chitosan have been used commercially for various purposes for many years (4) , the respective oligosaccharides have only recently been shown to be physiologically active. Chitin oligo¬ saccharides (derivatized at the non-reducing end with a fatty acyl group) are signals generated by the soil bacterial genus Rhizobium, and recognized by host leguminous plants so that nitrogen fixing nodules are formed (51) . Chitosan and chitin oligosaccharides induce pisatin and as many as 20 disease resistance response proteins in pea tissue and inhibit the growth of some fungal pathogens. GlcNAc and (GlcNAc) 2 were inactive, the trimer was slightly active, and the tetramer and pentamer were moderately active, both as antifungicides and pisatin elicitors (52,53) . (GlcNAc) 6 is a potent antimetastatic agent against mouse bearing Lewis lung carcinoma, and (GlcNAc) n activate macrophages and the immune system (13) . The disaccharide, (GlcNAc) 2 , is linked to the amide group of asparagine in a large number of glycoproteins, such as those found in the blood. The disaccharide is the core to which the oligosaccharide chains of these glycoproteins are attached. Enzymes that hydrolyze the glycoprotein or glycopeptides by splitting the disaccharide (e.g., Endo A and H) or the asparagine amide (releasing the oligosaccharide) are of considerable commercial significance since they are useful for analysis and structure determination of these important macromolecules. It is important to emphasize that the plant defense mechanisms are induced by the elicitor oligosaccharides. The multitude of proteins in the V. furnissii chitin catabolic cascade are likewise induced, and induction is differential. That is, higher (GlcNAc) n oligomers induce the extracellular chitinases, (GlcNAc) 2 induces a large number of proteins required for its catabolism but not the chitinases, and GlcNAc induces those proteins required for its metabolism but not the others. More importantly for present purposes, GlcNAc represses expression of the enzymes induced by (GlcNAc) 2 even when the latter is present in the medium, and (GlcNAc) 2 appears to repress expression of the chitinases. The biological activities of chitin and chitosan oligosaccharides may be expressed by individual oligomers, but not by mixtures of oligomers, especially by mixtures containing the lower molecular weight oligosaccharides. The oligosaccharides have use in agriculture (e.g., to induce disease resistance) and in medicine. The costs of the commercially available oligosaccharides are prohibitive. While practical grade chitin costs from $22-49 per kilogram, the pure oligosaccharides cost from $5/mg (for (GlcNAc) 2 ) to about $15/mg (for (GlcNAc) 6 ) . The problem can be illus¬ trated with one example. (GlcNAc) 2 induces a large number of important proteins and enzymes in V. furnissii , whereas (GlcNAc) 5 and (GlcNAc) 6 induce others (48) . The minimum concentration of (GlcNAc) 2 required for maximum induction is 0.6 mM in the growth medium (containing lactate or glycerol to spare the disaccha- ride) . Thus, 0.6 mM (GlcNAc) 2 for one liter of medium would cost $1,270 and yield about 250 mg of induced cells (dry weight) and a few μg of each enzyme. For the experiments involving (GlcNAc) 6 at 0.6 mM, the cost would be $11,000 per liter! The procedure for making these oligomers explains their cost. The first method for isolating chitosan oligomers was developed in the laboratory of the present inventors (54) , as well as the method for their quantitative N-acetylation (55,56) . The same methods are still being used commercially as indicated in the Seikagaku America, Inc., catalogue. Briefly, the procedure is as follows: purified chitin is completely deacetylated by fusion with KOH pellets under N 2/ giving chitosan. The latter is purified by "recrystal¬ lization" 12 times to remove colored impurities, and partially hydrolyzed in 10.5 N HCl at 53°C for 72 h. The hydrolysate is applied to an ion-exchange column and eluted with a 0 to 4.2 M HCl gradient. In this procedure, 5 g of chitosan were used, the ion exchange column contained 1 liter of resin, and 500 ml fractions were collected (total volume, 60 liters!) . While the resolution from monomer to at least the pentamer was very good, it is obvious that the method is very limited with respect to quantity. For example, 244 mg of (GlcNH 2 ) 5 were obtained. Following quantitative N- acetylation with acetic anhydride, this quantity of material is sufficient for one 400 ml V. furnissii induction/growth experiment of the type described above. The major problem in isolating large quantities of pure oligosaccharides are the limitations in resolving mixtures of these compounds. Even E-chitinase, which hydrolyzes chitin primarily to (GlcNAc) 2 , yields significant quantities of GlcNAc. Wild type and genetically engineered V. furnissii and E. coli cells are used to remove contaminants. The lower six carbon atoms of sialic acid have the configuration of N- acetylmannosamine (not previously recognized as a natural sugar) , not GlcNAc as reported (57-59) . To study the metabolism, especially the enzymatic synthesis of sialic acid, requires substrate quantities of N-acetylmannosamine (ManNAc) . The chemical synthesis of ManNAc is tedious and gives small amounts of material. The problem was solved (60) by alkaline epimerization of 25 to 100 g quantities of N- acetylglucosamine; the equilibrium mixture contained 80% GlcNAc and 20% ManNAc. Part of the GlcNAc crystallized when the solution was concentrated, and the remainder (5 to 20 g, depending on the scale) was removed with E. coli cells induced to catabolize GlcNAc. To illustrate the power of the method, 200 mg of E. coli cells (dry weight) obtained from 1 liter of culture were sufficient to completely remove all of the GlcNAc from the 25 g GlcNAc epimerization mixture in 4 h at 37°C. After the incubation, the mixture was deproteinized with Ba(OH) 2 and ZnS0 4 , deionized, and pure ManNAc crystallized from the concentrated supernatant fluid in 70% yield (3.5 g of the 5 g formed in the epimerization reaction) . Yields up to 80% were obtained from the 100 g reaction. In studies on the physical properties of the periplasmic space in E. coli and Salmonella typhimurium (61) , it was necessary to remove traces of glucose and fructose from commercial (labeled and unlabeled) sucrose. The same methodology was successfully employed. The preparation of the chitin oligosaccharides is based on similar procedures, i.e., a combination of partial hydrolysis of chitin to yield a mixture of soluble oligomers, followed by treatment with appropriate enzymes and/or mutant or transformed cells to resolve the mixtures and to obtain single products, or of desired mixtures, such as (GlcNAc) 4 and (GlcNAc) 5 . SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention discloses the cloning of the genes that encode four β-N-acetylglucosaminidases involved in the catabolism of chitin in Vibrio furnissii. The functions of these enzymes in the chitin catabolic pathway are illustrated in Fig. 1. The relevant four genes are chiA which encodes extracellular chitinase (E-chitinase) , endl which encodes periplasmic chitodextrinase (Endo-I) , exoJ which encodes periplasmic β-GlcNAcidase (Exo-I) and exoll which encodes an enzyme, aryl β-N- acetylglucosaminidase, specific for aryl β-N- acetylglucosaminides (Exo-II) . In one aspect of the present invention, the complete nucleotide sequences for the chiA, the endl, the exoJ, and the exoll genes from V. furnissii are disclosed. In another aspect of the present invention, the complete amino acid sequences for the extracellular chitinase (E-chitinase) , the periplasmic chitodextrinase (Endo-I) , the periplasmic β-N- acetylglucosaminidase (Exo-I) , and an aryl β-N- acetylglucosaminidase (Exo-II) are disclosed. In a further aspect of the present invention, host cells transformed with the chiA gene and capable of expressing recombinant extracellular chitinase, host cells transformed with the endl gene and capable of expressing recombinant periplasmic chitodextrinase, host cells transformed with the exol gene and capable of expressing recombinant periplasmic β-GlcNAcidase, and host cells transformed with the exoll gene and capable of expressing recombinant aryl β-N- acetylglucosaminidase are disclosed. In another aspect of the present invention, four specific strains of V. furnissii having deletions in genes involved in the catabolic pathway of chitin are disclosed. More specifically, strains of V. furnissii having specific mutations in either the endJ or the exoJ genes are disclosed. In another aspect of the present invention, a novel process for the production of specific chitin oligosaccharides is disclosed. This process involves the use of the recombinant enzymes, E. coli transformants and V. furnissii deletion mutants listed above. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of chitin degradation by V. furnissii . The enzyme Exo-II is not shown, but is presumed to split the linkage between the chitin-O-Tyr-protein and/or the chitin-O-polyphenols in invertebrate cuticles. Figure 2 summarizes the procedures used in the molecular cloning of the endol gene in V. furnissii . Figure 3 summarizes the procedures used in the molecular cloning of the exoJ gene in V. furnissii . Figure 4 summarizes the procedures used in the molecular cloning of the exoIJ gene in V. furnissii . Figure 5 outlines the procedure used to construct the plasmid pNQT:endoJ: :Cm. Figure 6 outlines the procedure used to construct the V. furnissii endol deletion mutant. Figure 7 outlines the procedure used to construct the plasmid pNQT: exol::Cm. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The cloning of each of the four genes from V. furnissii , the characterization of each isolated gene, the transformation of host cells with each isolated gene and the characterization of each recombinant β-N- acetylglucosaminidase follow. The next section (General Methods) gives details of procedures that were used for the isolation and characterization of all of the genes, while the section that follows (Specific Methods) gives specific details for each of the genes and enzymes. The present invention relates to the isolation and characterization of genes involved in the catabolic pathway of chitin in Vibrio furnissii . More specifically, the present invention relates to the cloning of genes for four β-N-acetylglucosaminidases, two endo- and two exoenzymes: chiA encodes an endoenzyme, extracellular chitinase or E-chitinase, endl encodes an endoenzyme, periplasmic chitodextrinase, or Endo-I, exoJ encodes an exoenzyme, periplasmic β-N- acetylglucosaminidase or Exo-I and exoll encodes an exoenzyme, an aryl β-N- acetylglucos aminidase, or Exo-II. The functions of these enzymes in the chitin catabolic pathway are schematically illustrated in Fig. 1. An endoenzyme is defined as an enzyme that cleaves internal bonds in its macromolecular substrate. In the case of glycosidases that hydrolyze glycosidic bonds in polysaccharides, an "endoenzyme" hydrolyzes internal glycosidic bonds. A chitinase is an example of an endoenzyme. An "exoenzyme" is defined as an enzyme that progressively hydrolyzes the terminal units of macromolecular substrates. In the case of glycosidases, the exo-glycosidases are exoenzymes that hydrolyze the terminal (non-reducing) end of the polysaccharide chain. The transformation of host cells with the cloned genes and the isolation and characterization of the recombinant enzymes are also detailed. The cloned genes are used to create four strains of V. furnissii having specific deletion mutations. The enzymes, cloned genes and deletion mutants are used in a novel method for producing chitin oligosaccharides. Chitin is the second most abundant organic substance in nature and is a homopolymer of β,l-4 N-acetylglucosamine residues. Approximately 10 11 metric tons are produced annually in the aquatic biosphere alone. These huge quantities of highly insoluble polysaccharide represent a potential devastating threat to the environment. The oceans would be depleted of carbon and nitrogen in a matter of decades and the respective cycles would cease if chitin was not converted to a biologically useful form. In fact, marine sediments contain only traces of chitin. It is degraded primarily by chitinivorous bacteria, which are ubiquitous in the aquatic biosphere, and include species that grow at 0-4°C. Vibrios are the most common, widely distributed marine bacteria, and since many Vibrios are chitinivorous, the pathways and mechanisms by which they utilize chitin are of special interest. Chitin degradation by V. furnissii involves several signal transducing systems, a multitude of proteins including extracellular and cytoplasmic enzymes, membrane transporters, chemoreceptors, an adhesion/deadhesion apparatus (including a lectin) that acts as a nutrient sensor, and possibly periplasmic solute binding proteins and specific porins. The genetic regulation of chitin catabolism involves a cascade, where chitin is the first and N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) the final inducer. The • complete pathway results in the conversion of chitin to fructose-6-P, acetate, and ammonia. However, the individual steps of the catabolic pathway remain to be elucidated. Part of the pathway is shown in Fig. 1. The present invention includes substantially purified end I, exo I, and exo II polypeptide or enzymatic fragments thereof. The term "substantially pure" as used herein refers to the enzyme which is substantially free of other proteins, lipids, carbohydrates or other materials with which it is naturally associated. One skilled in the art can purify the enzyme using standard techniques for protein purification. The substantially pure polypeptide will yield a single major band on a non-reducing polyacrylamide gel . The purity of the enzyme can also be determined by amino-terminal amino acid sequence analysis. The invention includes a functional enzymatic polypeptide and functional enzymatic fragments thereof. As used herein, the term "functional polypeptide" refers to a polypeptide which possesses a biological function or activity which is identified through a defined functional assay and which is associated with a particular biologic, morphologic, or phenotypic alteration in the cell. Functional fragments of the the enzyme, or "enzymatic fragments", includes fragments of the enzyme as long as the activity, e . g. , capable of hydrolyzing soluble chitin, of the enzyme remains. Smaller peptides containing the biological activity of the enzyme described herein are included in the invention. The biological function, for example, can vary from a polypeptide fragment as small as an epitope to which an antibody molecule can bind to a large polypeptide which is capable of participating in the characteristic induction or programming of phenotypic changes within a cell. A "functional polynucleotide" denotes a polynucleotide which encodes a functional polypeptide as described herein. Minor modifications of the the enzyme primary amino acid sequence may result in proteins which have substantially equivalent activity as compared to the native enzyme described herein. Such modifications may be deliberate, as by site-directed mutagenesis, or may be spontaneous. All of the polypeptides produced by these modifications are included herein as long as the enzymatic activity of the native enzyme is present. Further, deletion of one or more amino acids can also result in a modification of the structure of the resultant molecule without significantly altering its activity. This can lead to the development of a smaller active molecule which would have broader utility. For example, it is possible to remove amino or carboxy terminal amino acids which may not be required for the enzyme activity. The enzyme polypeptide of the invention also includes conservative variations of the polypeptide sequence. The term "conservative variation" as used herein denotes the replacement of an amino acid residue by another, biologically similar residue. Examples of conservative variations include the substitution of one hydrophobic residue such as isoleucine, valine, leucine or methionine for another, or the substitution of one polar residue for another, such as the substitution of arginine for lysine, glutamic for aspartic acids, or glutamine for asparagine, and the like. The term "conservative variation" also includes the use of a substituted amino acid in place of an unsubstituted parent amino acid provided that antibodies raised to the substituted polypeptide also immunoreact with the unsubstituted polypeptide. The invention also provides an isolated polynucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, 4, or 6. The term "isolated" as used herein includes polynucleotides substantially free of other nucleic acids, proteins, lipids, carbohydrates or other materials with which it is naturally associated. Polynucleotide sequences of the invention include DNA, cDNA and RNA sequences which encode The enzyme. It is understood that all polynucleotides encoding all or a portion of the enzyme are also included herein, as long as they encode a polypeptide with the enzyme activity (e.g., end I, exo I, exo II) . Such polynucleotides include naturally occurring, synthetic, and intentionally manipulated polynucleotides. For example, portions of the mRNA sequence may be altered due to alternate RNA splicing patterns or the use of alternate promoters for RNA transcription. As another example, the enzyme encoding polynucleotide may be subjected to site-directed mutagenesis. The polynucleotide sequence for the enzyme also includes antisense sequences. The poly¬ nucleotides of the invention include sequences that are degenerate as a result of the genetic code. There are 20 natural amino acids, most of which are specified by more than one codon. Therefore, all degenerate nucleotide sequences are included in the invention as long as the amino acid sequence of The enzyme polypeptide encoded by the nucleotide sequence is functionally unchanged. In addition, the invention also includes a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, 4, and 6 and having at least one epitope for an antibody immunoreactive with the enzyme polypeptide. The polynucleotide encoding the enzyme of the invention includes the nucleotide sequence in SEQ ID N0:1, SEQ ID NO:3 and SEQ ID NO:5, as well as nucleic acid sequences complementary to those sequences. A complementary sequence may include an antisense nucleotide. When the sequence is RNA, the deoxyribonucleotides A, G, C, and T are replaced by ri- bonucleotides A, G, C, and U, respectively. Also included in the invention are fragments (portions) of the above-described nucleic acid sequences that are at least 15 bases in length, which is sufficient to permit the fragment to selectively hybridize to DNA that encodes the protein of SEQ ID NO: 2, 4 or 6. "Selective hybridization" as used herein refers to hybridization under moderately stringent physiological conditions (eg. , temperature, salt conditions) and does not require complete complementarity. Nucleic acid sequences having 70-95% complementarity are preferred, and sequences having 90-90% complementarity are most preferred for selective hybridization. DNA sequences of the invention can be obtained by several methods. For example, the DNA can be isolated using hybridization or computer-based techniques which are well known in the art. These include, but are not limited to: 1) hybridization of genomic or cDNA libraries with probes to detect homologous nucleotide sequences; 2) antibody screening of expression libraries to detect cloned DNA fragments with shared structural features; 3) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on genomic DNA or cDNA using primers capable of annealing to the DNA sequence of interest; and 4) computer searches of sequnce databases for similar sequences. Preferably the enzyme encoding polynucleotide of the invention is derived from a bacterial organism, and most preferably from Vibrionacese. Screening proc¬ edures which rely on nucleic acid hybridization make it possible to isolate any gene sequence from any organ¬ ism, provided the appropriate probe is available. Oligonucleotide probes, which correspond to a part of the sequence encoding the protein in question, can be synthesized chemically. This requires that short, oligopeptide stretches of amino acid sequence must be known. The DNA sequence encoding the protein can be deduced from the genetic code, however, the degeneracy of the code must be taken into account. It is possible to perform a mixed addition reaction when the sequence is degenerate. This includes a heterogeneous mixture of denatured double-stranded DNA. For such screening, hybridization is preferably performed on either single- stranded DNA or denatured double-stranded DNA. Hybridization is particularly useful in the detection of cDNA clones derived from sources where an extremely low amount of mRNA sequences relating to the polypeptide of interest are present. In other words, by using stringent hybridization conditions directed to avoid non-specific binding, it is possible, for example, to allow the autoradiographic visualization of a specific cDNA clone by the hybridization of the target DNA to that single probe in the mixture which is its complete complement (Wallace, et al . , Nucl . Acid Res . , 1:879, 1981) . The development of specific DNA sequences encoding and enzyme of the invention can also be obtained by: 1) isolation of double-stranded DNA sequences from the genomic DNA; 2) chemical manufacture of a DNA sequence to provide the necessary codons for the polypeptide of interest; and 3) in vi tro synthesis of a double- stranded DNA sequence by reverse transcription of mRNA isolated from a eukaryotic donor cell to form cDNA. When the entire sequence of amino acid residues of the desired polypeptide is not known, the direct synthesis of DNA sequences is not possible and the method of choice is the synthesis of cDNA sequences. Among the standard procedures for isolating cDNA sequences of interest is the formation of plasmid- or phage-carrying cDNA libraries which are derived from reverse transcription of mRNA which is abundant in donor cells that have a high level of genetic expres- sion. When used in combination with polymerase chain reaction technology, even rare expression products can be cloned. In those cases where significant portions of the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide are known, the production of labeled single or double- stranded DNA or RNA probe sequences duplicating a sequence putatively present in the target cDNA may be employed in DNA/DNA hybridization procedures which are carried out on cloned copies of the cDNA which have been denatured into a single-stranded form (Jay, et al . , Nucl . Acid Res . , 11:2325, 1983) . A cDNA expression library, such as lambda gtll, can be screened indirectly for enzyme peptides having at least one epitope, using antibodies specific for the enzyme. Such antibodies can be either polyclonally or monoclonally derived and used to detect expression product indicative of the presence of enzyme cDNA. DNA sequences encoding an enzyme of the invention can be expressed in vi tro by DNA transfer into a suitable host cell. "Host cells" are cells in which a vector can be propagated and its DNA expressed. The term also includes any progeny of the subject host cell. It is understood that all progeny may not be identical to the parental cell since there may be mutations that occur during replication. However, such progeny are included when the term "host cell" is used. Methods of stable transfer, meaning that the foreign DNA is continuously maintained in the host, are known in the art. In the present invention, the enzyme encoding polynucleotide sequences may be inserted into a recombinant expression vector. The term "recombinant expression vector" refers to a plasmid, virus or other vehicle known in the art that has been manipulated by insertion or incorporation of the enzyme genetic sequences. Such expression vectors contain a promoter sequence which facilitates the efficient transcription of the inserted genetic sequence of the host. The expression vector typically contains an origin of replication, a promoter, as well as specific genes which allow phenotypic selection of the transformed cells. Vectors suitable for use in the present invention include, but are not limited to the T7-based expression vector for expression in bacteria (Rosen¬ berg, et al . , Gene ,5__ 2 .:125, 1987), and baculovirus- derived vectors for expression in insect cells. The DNA segment can be present in the vector operably linked to regulatory elements, for example, a promoter (e.g., T7, metallothionein I, or polyhedrin promoters). Polynucleotide sequences encoding the enzyme can be expressed in either prokaryotes or eukaryotes. Hosts can include microbial, yeast, insect and mammalian organisms. Methods of expressing DNA sequences having eukaryotic or viral sequences in prokaryotes are well known in the art. Biologically functional viral and plasmid DNA vectors capable of expression and replication in a host are known in the art. Such vectors are used to incorporate DNA sequences of the invention. Methods which are well known to those skilled in the art can be used to construct expression vectors containing the the enzyme coding sequence and appropriate transcriptional/translational control signals. These methods include in vi tro recombinant DNA techniques, synthetic techniques, and in vivo recombination/genetic techniques. (See, for example, the techniques described in Maniatis et al. , 1989 Molecular Cloning A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, N.Y.) In bacterial systems a number of expression vectors may be advantageously selected depending upon the use intended for the expressed protein. For example, when large quantities of the enzyme are to be produced, vectors which direct the expression of high levels of fusion protein products that are readily purified may be desirable. Those which are engineered to contain a cleavage site to aid in recovering are preferred. Such vectors include but are not limited to the E. coli expression vector pUR278 (Ruther et al . , EMBO J. 2:1791, 1983) , in which the the enzyme coding sequence may be ligated into the vector in frame with the lac Z coding region so that a hybrid -lac Z protein is produced; pIN vectors (Inouye & Inouye, 1985, Nucleic acids Res. 13:3101-3109; Van Heeke & Schuster, 1989, J. Biol. Chem. 264:5503-5509); and the like. The Examples provide preferred host cells and vectors of the invention. Transformation of a host cell with recombinant DNA may be carried out by conventional techniques as are well known to those skilled in the art. Where the host is prokaryotic, such as E. coli , competent cells which are capable of DNA uptake can be prepared from cells harvested after exponential growth phase and subsequently treated by the CaCl 2 method using procedures well known in the art. Alternatively, MgCl 2 or RbCl can be used. Transformation can also be performed after forming a protoplast of the host cell if desired. Isolation and purification of microbial expressed polypeptide, or fragments thereof, provided by the invention, may be carried out by conventional means including preparative chromatography and immunological separations involving monoclonal or polyclonal antibod¬ ies. Identification of the enzymes of the invention allows a novel method for the production of chitin oligosaccharides. The process preferreably uses intact cells, both wild type and mutants, to resolve the mixtures of chitin oligosaccharides. Wild type E. coli can only utilize GlcNAc, whereas wild type V. furnissii can utilize (GlcNAc) n , where n = 1-4 without using special methods for induction. Higher oligomers such as (GlcNAc) 5 , (GlcNAc) 6 and chitin are also consumed by V. furnissii , but only after special conditions of induction. Intact induced V. furnissii cells consume 0.32 μmole GlcNAc/mg protein/min at 25°C (48) , which is about the same as the maximum rate of glucose utiliza- tion by E. coli at 37°C. (GlcNAc) 2 and (GlcNAc) 3 are consumed at about the same rate (per GlcNAc equivalent) by V. furnissii . (GlcNAc) 4 is catabolized more slowly. (GlcNAc) 5 and (GlcNAc) 6 are not utilized unless the cells are selectively induced on swarm plates (48,50) . The critical point is that V. furnissii catabolizes (GlcNAc) n without releasing any lower oligosaccharides, despite the fact that the first steps in their metabolism is hydrolysis in the periplasmic space. The two established pathways (mono- and disaccharide) of catabolism for the tetra-and trisaccharide are shown in Fig. 1. The pathways for metabolizing (GlcNAc) 5 , (GlcNAc) 6 and higher oligomers are not yet known. These compounds are excellent substrates for the periplasmic chitodextrinase and β-GlcNAcidase, and are very rapidly hydrolyzed in toluene permeabilized cells. Therefore, the problem in their utilization by (GlcNAc) 2 induced cells is that they cannot diffuse through the holes or porins in the cell envelope, the first barrier to all solutes in Gram negative bacteria. In E. coli , the cell envelope is penetrated by non-specific holes or porins (Omp C, Omp F, Pho E) with size limits of about 500 daltons. The molecular weights of the oligomers are: (GlcNAc) 2 , 424; (GlcNAc) 3 , 628; (GlcNAc) 4 , 831; (GlcNAc) 5 , 1,034; (GlcNAc) 6 , 1,237. A few specific E. coli porins are known, such as the LamB protein, which permits diffusion of maltodextrins up to the decamer. (GlcNAc) 2 induces an outer membrane protein in V. furnissii , which may be a specific porin, and we are now cloning this gene and protein. We also believe that higher oligomers may induce other porin(s) . There is no information on the non-specific porins of V. furnissii . Furthermore, the shapes and hydrodynamic volumes of molecules are the critical parameters in the diffusion process. However, assume that 500 daltons is the cut-off size for solutes diffusing non-specifically through the cell envelope of V. furnissii , then null mutants of the inducible, specific porins would consume (GlcNAc) 2 , but nothing larger (perhaps (GlcNAc) 3 at a slow rate) . Similarly, if specific inducible porins that accommodate larger oligomers are deleted, only the lower oligomers would be consumed from a mixture of oligosaccharides. A critical point will be to deter¬ mine the size limits of the porin presumably induced by (GlcNAc) 5 and (GlcNAc) 6 . If it is similar to the Lam B protein, then mixtures of (GlcNAc) n , n = 1-7, would be catabolized, leaving only (GlcNAc) n , n > 7 in the extracellular medium. The point to be emphasized is that porins and porin deletions or mutations in intact V. furnissii could serve as exquisite molecular sieves, with virtually no limit in the quantity of material that could be processed. Two steps are required to make the oligosaccharides: (A) conversion of chitin to a mixture of soluble oligosaccharides, (GlcNAc) n and (B) resolution of the mixture to obtain single pure oligomers, or, defined mixtures, such as (GlcNAc) 4 and (GlcNAc) 5 , the oligomers that are most active in inducing plant nodules (after appropriate modification) . GENERAL METHODS Buffers. The composition and pH (at room temperature, unless otherwise noted) of commonly used buffers in this study are listed below. Puffer Composition EP (electroporation 10% glycerol buffer) Transformation buffer 50 mM CaCl 2 , 10 mM Tris-Cl, pH 7.5 TE 10 mM Tris-Cl, 1 mM EDTA, pH 8.0 TAE 40 mM Tris-acetate, 1 mM EDTA, pH 8.0, diluted from 50X stock Improved TBE 127 mM Tris, 235 mM boric acid, 2.52 mM EDTA, pH 8.3, dilute from 10X stock ssc 0.064 M NaCl, 0.012 M Na citrate, pH 7.5 SHM Used for "stringent" hybridization. 25 mM Na phosphate, pH 7.5, 5X SSC, 5% instant Carnation milk, 40% deionized formamide, 0.1 mg/ml sonicated salmon sperm DNA. Bacterial Culture Media. Reagents used to prepare bacterial media were purchased from Difco Labs (Detroit, MI) . The formulations of the culture media used in this study are listed below. Medium Co position (q/1. Artificial Sea Water NaCl, 23.6; Na 2 S0 4 , 4; NaHC0 3 , (ASW) 0.2; KCl, 0.66; KBr, 0.96; H 3 B0 3 , 0.026; MgCl_ . 6H_0, 10.6; SrCl_ . 6_. 2 O, 0.04; CaCl 2 , 1.48; K 2 HP0 4 , 0.04; NH 4 C1, 2.0; Hepes-50% ASW Hepes buffer, 11.9 (50 mM) pH 7.5; in 50% ASW Lactate-ASW D,L-lactate, 5; in Hepes-50% ASW LB Bacto-tryptone, 10; yeast extract, 5; NaCl, 10 LMB Bacto-tryptone, 10; yeast extract, 5; NaCl, 20 Marine Medium 2212 Bacto-peptone, 5; yeast extract, 1.0; in Hepes-50% ASW MacConkey Bacto-Peptone, 17; Proteose Peptone, Agar 3; Bile Salts, 1.5; NaCl, 5; Neutral Red, 0.075; Crystal Violet, 0.5; Bacto Agar, 15 M9 Na_HP0 4 , 6; KH 2 P0 , 3; NaCl, 0.5; NH 4 C1, 1; MgS0 4 , 0.24; CaCl 2 , 0.015; carbon source, 2; Thiamine-HCl, 0.002; casamino acids, 2 Medium A KH 2 P0 4 , 4.5; K 2 HP0 4 , 10.5; (NH 4 ) 2 S0 4 , 1; MgS0 4 , 0.12; carbon source, 2; Thiamine-HCl, 0.002 Antibiotics were used in the following concentrations: ampicillin, 15 μg/ml (30 μg/ml for agar plates) and tetracycline, 5 μg/ml (10 μg/ml for agar plates) . Bacterial strains. V. furnissii 7225 (available from the ATCC) , a wild type strain which is also designated V. furnissii SR1519, was maintained at room temperature in a soft agar slab consisting of (g/1) : yeast extract, 3; bactopeptone, 10; NaCl, 10; and agar, 5, in Hepes-buffered 50% ASW (see below) . E. coli strains K-12, HBlOl, BL2KDE3) and XL-Blue were stored as frozen cultures in LB. Typically, strains were grown overnight in rich broth (plus appropriate antibiotics for cells containing plasmids) with vigorous shaking. Fresh medium was inoculated with cells from the overnight culture at a 1:20 or 1:50 dilution, and this culture was grown to the desired density, usually mid-exponential (OD 590 = 0.3-0.4) . Preparation of Bacterial Genomic DNA. Genomic DNA was prepared from V. furnissii SR1519 by the following procedures (28) . A single colony was transferred into 100 ml of LB and grown overnight at 37°C. The cells were collected by centrifugation, resuspended in 5 ml buffer (50 mM Tris-Cl pH 8, 50 mM EDTA) and frozen at - 20°C. A fresh lysozyme solution (5 mg in 0.5 ml of 0.25 Tris-Cl pH 8) was added to the frozen cells, the mixture was thawed with gentle mixing at room temperature, and was then placed on ice for 45 min. One ml STEP solution (29) was added and the lysed cells were heated at 50°C for 1 h; an equal volume of TE- saturated phenol was added and the layers were emulsified gently for 5 min. The aqueous and organic layers were then separated by centrifugation, and the aqueous layer was removed and re-extracted with TE- saturated phenol. The RNA and chromosomal DNA were precipitated from the aqueous phase by adding 0.1 volume of 3 M NaOAc followed by 2 volumes of cold EtOH. This precipitate was spooled onto a Pasteur pipet, transferred to a clean tube and incubated overnight at 4°C with 5 ml of buffered RNAse (50 mM Tris-Cl pH 7.5, ImM EDTA, 200 μg/ml RNAse A) . The solution was extracted twice with an equal volume of CHC1 3 . The DNA was reprecipitated from the aqueous phase by adding 1/10 volume of 3M NaOAc and 2 volumes of cold EtOH. The final product was suspended in TE buffer and the DNA concentration was determined as described in Plasmid Purification. An alternate method for preparing genomic DNA was the CTAB procedure (30) : In this procedure, the cells are lysed with SDS and proteinase K, and contaminants are selectively precipitated with cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) in 0.5 M NaCl; at this concentration of NaCl, nucleic acids are not precipitated. Residual impurities are removed by shaking with phenol, chloroform, isoamyl alcohol, and the DNA precipitated with isopropanol. Plasmid Purification. Plasmids were prepared by the method of Pulleyblank et al. (31) or by the alkaline lysis method (30) . Cells harboring the plasmid of interest were grown in LB or M9 medium containing the appropriate antibiotic. The cells were then harvested by centrifugation, and were resuspended in buffer (150 m NaCl, 10 m Tris-Cl pH 8) at 15 ml buffer per g wet weight of cells. The cells were lysed at room temperature by the addition of 2/3 volume of 40 mM EDTA pH 8 with 1% SDS and 1 mg/ml pronase, and the cell debris was removed by centrifugation at 150,000 x g. The nucleic acids were precipitated from the supernatant fluid by the addition of 1/3 volume 40% PEG 3350 in 2M LiCl, 20 m Tris-Cl pH 8, 2 mM EDTA. This nucleic acid pellet was homogenized in 2.5 M LiCl, 10 mM Tris-Cl pH 8, 2 mM EDTA and cooled to -20°C to precipitate RNA, which was removed by centrifugation at 250,000 x g. Finally, plasmid DNA was precipitated from the supernate with 2.5 volumes of cold EtOH. The plasmid pellet was washed with 70% EtOH to remove residual salts and was dissolved in TE buffer. The nucleic acid concentration (and relative level of protein contamination) was determined by measuring the A 280 and A 260 of the preparation, where 1.0 A 260 = 50 μg DNA. For large scale plasmid preparations, cells were grown in 1 liter of medium, while for minipreps, cells were grown overnight in 10 ml of medium. Typically, 300-700 μg of plasmid was obtained using the large- scale protocol, and 5-10 μg from the miniprep protocol. The alkaline lysis method is as follows: The cells are lysed in alkaline SDS, which denatures genomic and plasmid DNA. After neutralizing, the plasmid DNA is selectively renatured, and purified by treating with RNAase A, phenol/chloroform, chloroform/isoamyl alcohol, and precipitated with ethanol or PEG. Bacterial Transformation. The heat shock procedure described in Maniatis et al. (29) was used. Host cells were grown to mid-exponential phase using an overnight culture started from a single colony. Plasmid DNA (5-50 ng in TE buffer) or DNA from a ligation mixture (10-100 ng in ligation buffer suggested by ligase manufacturer) was added (1-2 μl) to a cell suspension of 50-100 μl on ice. Occasionally, the DNA in ligation mixtures was precipitated by adding 1/10 volume of 3 M sodium-acetate, pH 4.6, and 2 volumes of ice cold ethanol, followed by incubation of the samples at -70°C for 20 min. The resultant pellet was washed once with an equal volume of 70% ethanol, dried and resuspended to 10-20 μl TE prior to use in transformation reactions. Cells with the DNA were heat shocked for 1 min at 42°C or for 3-5 min at 37°C in sterile glass tubes, 0.5-1.0 ml of LB was immediately added to the tubes and the cells were allowed to recover for 30-60 min at 37°C with vigorous shaking. The transformed cells were then plated on selective media. Transformation efficiency was usually monitored by using a known amount of a control plasmid (pBR322) . An alternate transformation procedure involving electroporation was also used. The Cell-Porator ® system from GIBCO-BRL and the manufacturer's recommended procedures were used (32) . The Cell- Porator consists of a system for placing a suspension of cells and plasmids between two electrodes. Brief unidirectional electrical pulses render the cell membranes temporarily permeable to the DNA. Mid- exponential cells grown in LB were harvested and washed with EP and resuspended to 1/100 volume of the original culture in EP. These cells were either used immediately or frozen for later use. DNA (10-50 ng in 1-2 μl) was added to 30 μl of cells. The electroporation settings used were those recommended by the manufacturer (32) . Efficiency was determined as described in the heat shock procedure. Restriction Enzyme Digestion and Analysis of Plasmid Bacteriophage and Bacterial Genomic DNA. Standard procedures were followed (29,30) for restriction enzyme digestions and analysis of the fragments generated by these digestions. Generally, 0.5-1 μg of DNA, purified as described, was digested with 1-5 U of the desired restriction enzyme under the conditions suggested by the manufacturer. In situations where digestion by more than one enzyme was desired, the digests were usually performed separately; the DNA was precipitated (by the addition of 1/10 volume 2.5 M NaOAc and 2.5 volumes of cold EtOH), dried, and the second digest was then performed. When double digestions were performed, the first enzyme used was the one requiring a lower concentration of salt; in this manner, inhibition of the second restriction enzyme (by salts remaining from the first digest) was minimized. The resulting DNA fragments, in BPB/Ficoll tracking dye, were separated by electrophoresis through 0.8% agarose gels in TAE buffer (29) . Agarose gels were 13.4 x 14.2 x 0.5 cm submerged horizontal gels. The gels were run at 4-5 V per cm until the BPB dye was 2-3 cm from the bottom of the gel. DNA within the gel was visualized by soaking the gel in a 0.1 μg/ml solution of ethidium bromide for 20 min, followed by rinsing in H 2 0 for 10 min. The gel was photographed under UV illumination with a Polaroid Land Camera (Polaroid Type 667 film) . A HindiII digest of λ DNA was used for molecular weight standards. DNA fragments were eluted from Agarose gels using standard techniques including electroelution (30) , purification using GeneClean ® II (Bio 101, Inc., LaJolla, CA) (28) , and the band intercept method (29) . GeneCleanll comprises a silica matrix to which DNA in cell extracts is adsorbed under conditions of high ionic strength. The matrix is washed free of protein and other contaminants, and highly purified DNA is eluted at increased temperature, low ionic strength. Ligations were performed using standard conditions (30) . Blunt-end ligations were performed at 18°C for 18 hr, whereas compatible overhanging ends were incubated with ligase for 2 hr at 25°C. Inserts in cloning experiments were purified from gels as described above and ligated to phosphatase-treated vector that had also been cut to produce compatible ends in a ratio of 2-5:1. pBR322 was used as the vector for much of this work, but pUC18, pUC19, and pVex were also employed. pVex is a high copy number plasmid with a T7 polymerase promoter near its multiple cloning site, thus allowing for overexpression of the desired gene product. The polymerase is generated in the host cell E. coli BL2KDE3) by induction with IPTG. Thus, in experiments involving ligations of cloned DNA fragments into pVex, induction of expression by IPTG indicates that the cloned gene is in proper orientation with respect to the T7 polymerase promoter. DNA Sequence Analysis. The DNA prepared from the recombinant clones was sequenced by the dideoxy method using a U.S. Biochemical Sequenase ® sequencing kit (30,31) . The kit provides buffers, labeling mixtures, termination dideoxy nucleoside triphosphates, and T7 DNA polymerase. Plasmid preparations were used in double-stranded sequencing according to the manufacturer' s recommended procedures. The V. furnissii DNA insert containing the desired gene was subcloned into two single-strand producing phagemids, the pBluescript SK+ and SK- vectors (33) . These phagemids contain the intergenic (IG) region of the filamentous fl phage, which encodes the cis-acting functions required for packaging and replication. A pBluescript recombinant transformed into E. coli with the F' episome will extrude a single-stranded fl packaged phage when the bacterium has been infected by a helper phage. The SK+ construct extrudes the single strand corresponding to the coding strand of a β- galactosidase gene contained in the vector, while the SK- produces the other strand. This approach enables one to sequence in both directions. Single-stranded templates were prepared from pSK +/- constructs containing the V. furnissii gene in the vector transformed into XLl-Blue cells (34) . VCSM13 was used as the helper phage to produce the single strand (33) . Single-strand DNA was purified from clarified culture supernatants by PEG precipitation and by phenol/chloroform extraction (33) . The radioisotopic label used in the dideoxy reactions was either - [ 35 S] - dATP or - [ 32 P] -dATP. Sequencing reactions were analyzed on 6-8% polyacrylamide gels run at constant power (60-70 watts) in Improved TBE buffer. Gels were fixed in 5% methanol/ 10% acetic acid for 20-40 min and dried for autoradiography, with exposure times of 1 to 4 days. DNA hybridizations. DNA fragments were hybridized to one other, by the method of Southern (30) , to ascertain whether they contained the same or different genes. The DNA fragments were cut from the respective plasmids with restriction enzymes and gel purified as described above. The samples were heated at 65°C for 10 min, and 6 ng each loaded per lane of a 1% Agarose gel. Following electrophoresis, the gel was washed sequentially with 0.1 M HCl (10 min), 0.5 M NaOH + 1.5 M NaCl (2 x 15 min), and 0.5 M Tris, pH 7.4 + 1.5 M NaCl (2 x 15 min) . A Southern transfer to nitrocellulose was performed overnight in 0.64 M NaCl, 0.12 M Na citrate, pH 7.5. The blot was allowed to dry and the original gel stained with ethidium bromide to determine whether all of the DNA had been transferred. The blots were then probed as follows. Labeled probes were prepared from the cloned genes by the random primer method (30) , using a BMB Random Priming Kit ® (Boehringer Mannheim Biochemicals, Indianapolis, Ind.) and α- [ 3 P] -dCTP. The kit contains standard DNA, hexanucleotide mixture containing all possible sequence combinations of hexanucleotides, deoxynucleoside triphosphates, and Klenow enzyme. One or more of the random hexanucleotides hybridize with the fragment to be labeled, and a strand complementary to the DNA is synthesized with labeled nucleotides (not provided in the kit) by extension of the hexanucleotide with the Klenow fragment of DNA polymerase I . After purification (TCA precipitation, Sephadex columns) , the specific activities of the probes were 10 β -10 9 cpm per μg DNA. The probes (at least 10 6 cpm aliquots each) were denatured, and hybridized to the membranes. Hybridization conditions varied from stringent to reduced stringency as follows (only the extremes are given) : 65°C overnight in 6X SSC buffer, 0.5% SDS, 5X Denhardt's solution (30), and 100 μg calf thymus DNA per ml; 37°C, 6X SSC, 10% dextran sulfate, 35% formamide. The blots were washed three times (10 min each) in 5X SSC, 0.1% SDS at 25°C, then for 60 min in 0.5 SSC, 0.1% SDS at 40°C. The blots were finally exposed to X-ray film. SPECIFIC METHODS 1. endl gene encoding periplasmic chitodextrinase (Endo-I) a. Cloning of endl gene encoding periplasmic chitodextrinase. Aliquots (6 μg) of V. furnissii genomic DNA were digested with Hindlll, extracted with phenol and CHCl 3 /isoamyl alcohol, and EtOH precipitated. pBR322 (2 μg aliquots) was similarly digested, and dephosphorylated with bacterial alkaline phosphatase (BRL, Inc.) according to the directions of the manufacturer. As shown in Fig. 2, the digested V. furnissii and plasmid DNA were ligated with T4 DNA ligase (BRL, Inc.), and the mixture used to transform E. coli as described above (heat shock) . Several ratios of the DNA preparations were tested, and the maximum number of transformants was obtained with a ratio of 3:1, V. furnissii DNA: pBR322, and the highest frequency with E. coli HBlOl. After 60 min of growth at 37°C in LBA (LB ampicillin medium) , aliquots were plated to determine the number of recombinant plasmids; 68% of the Amp r cells contained recombinant plasmids (Amp r Tet s ) . The E. coli HBlOl transformants were plated on LBA, individual colonies transferred to fresh plates containing a grid, grown overnight, and a replica of each grid was transferred to a sterile Whatman No. 1 filter paper. The papers were then sprayed with 9.5 mg 4-methyl-umbelliferyl- (GlcNAc) 2 per ml dimethyl formamide diluted 1:50 with 0.1 M Tris, pH 7.4. (4- Methyl-umbelliferyl (MUF) glycosides are not fluorescent, whereas the product of hydrolysis, MUF, is highly fluorescent (35) . After spraying, the papers were incubated at 37°C for 15 min, sprayed again with saturated NaHC0 3 to enhance fluorescence, and immediately viewed under low wave length U.V. light. Transformants harboring endl were fluorescent; the colonies were picked from the original grids and single colony purified. Ten of 6,000 transformants gave positive results, and each contained an identical 6.1 Kb V. furnissii DNA fragment. The transformants were designated HBlOl:pBB22. The V. furnissii DNA fragment carried its own promoter as determined by cloning in both orientations in pUC vectors. The pBR322 vector carrying endl is designated pBR-EndoI. b. Characterization of isolated endl gene The isolated endl gene was sequenced by the SK +/- method described above and was found to comprise a sequence of 6180 base pairs. The entire nucleotide sequence is shown in SEQ ID N0:1. The V. furnissii DNA fragment contained one major open reading frame. The predicted amino acid sequence of the periplasmic chitodextrinase encoded by the endl gene is shown in SEQ ID NO:2 and consists of 1046 amino acids with a predicted molecular weight of 112.7 kDa. The predicted amino acid sequence contains a typical bacterial signal sequence for secretion into the periplasmic space (36) . As described below, the protein is, in fact, processed by the E. coli host. As indicated in the next section, the periplasmic chitodextrinase is an endoenzyme that cleaves soluble chitin oligosaccharides, but it is not a chitinase. Nevertheless, a search of the Swiss Protein Data Bank identified a region in the chitodextrinase, amino acid residues 300 to 700, which showed significant homology to a large number of chitinases from different sources. Eight amino acids were completely conserved in all of the homologous proteins, and in the chitodextrinase these are: Ser414, Gly416, Gly417, Phe456, Gly471, Asp473, Asp475, Asp561. Possibly, these conserved residues are at the active sites of the enzymes since they are all endo β-N-acetylglucosaminidases . c. Characterization of recombinant periplasmic chitodextrinase The recombinant periplasmic chitodextrinase has been purified to homogeneity from an E. coli transformant. The plasmid was used to transform E. coli BL21, grown in LBA medium, the cells extracted (French Press) , nucleic acids precipitated with streptomycin, and the proteins fractionated with ammonium sulfate. The 70% fraction was chromatographed on a DEAE-sepharose column, followed by chromatography on hydroxylapatite, an ACA-34 gel filtration column, and finally on an HPLC-DEAE column. Activity was quantitated during purification by the rate of hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl- (GlcNAc) 2 , and the enzyme . was purified 460-fold and obtained in 15% yield. The apparent molecular weight of homogeneous Endo- I by SDS-PAGE is 120 kDa, which agrees well with the predicted mass from the nucleotide sequence, 113 kDa. In E. coli , the enzyme is periplasmic. Furthermore, E. coli BL21 processes Endo-I by removing the first 30 amino acid residues (which are very similar to the N-terminal consensus signal sequence in E. coli proteins) . The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the homogeneous enzyme is identical to the predicted protein sequence (from the DNA sequence) , starting at residue 31 of the predicted sequence through residue 48. The chitodextrinase is inactive with chitin, but hydrolyzes soluble (GlcNAc) n . The enzyme does not liberate the GlcNAc residues that begin and terminate the oligosaccharide chain. Thus, the products of hydrolysis are (GlcNAc) 2 and (GlcNAc) 3 , depending on the substrate. For example, (GlcNAc) 4 yields only (GlcNAc) 2 , and (GlcNAc) 5 yields equimolar (GlcNAc) 2 and (GlcNAc) 3 . 2. exoJ gene encoding periplasmic β-GlcNAcidase a. Cloning of exoJ gene encoding periplasmic β- GlcNAcidase The exoJ gene was cloned into E. coli HBlOl exactly as described above for endoJ except that the screening reagent was MUF-GlcNAc instead of MUF- (GlcNAc) 2 . Three of 6,000 E. coli transformants, designated HBlOl:pBB20, exhibited β-N- acetylglucosaminidase activity, and each contained an identical 12.5 Kb fragment of DNA that did not hybridize to the V. furnissii DNA fragment in the plasmid pBB22 carrying endol . The -GlcNAcidase gene in pBB20 was subcloned in two steps as shown in Fig. 3. The V. furnissii 12.5 Kb DNA fragment in pBB20 was treated with Clal, yielding a 4.5 Kb fragment carrying exol, which was ligated into two vectors, pBR322 and pVex, giving the constructs: pBR322 :exoI4.5 and pVex:exoI4.5, respectively. The Clal fragment was cloned into pVex in both orientations. However, only one showed a large increase in β-GlcNAcidase activity when IPTG was added to induce the T7 polymerase in E. coli BL21(DE3) , and this clone was used for all subsequent work. The 4.5 Kb DNA fragment contains two Ncol sites downstream from exol. The plasmids pBR322 :exoI4.5 and pVex:exoI4.5 were therefore treated with Ncol to remove 0.8 Kb of DΝA, and the residual plasmids ligated to give pBR322 :exoI3.7 and pVex:exoI3.7. Each plasmid carried the intact exol gene. The 3669 bp fragment was completely sequenced. b. Characterization of isolated exol gene The isolated DΝA fragment containing the exol gene in pVex:exoI3.7 was sequenced by the double stranded method, and comprises a nucleotide sequence of 3670 base pairs. The entire nucleotide sequence is shown in SEQ ID NO:3. The open reading frame in pVex:exoI3.7 begins at nucleotide 844. There is a stop codon at 2676, putative -10 and -35 promoter regions, and a ribosome binding site. The predicted amino acid sequence of the periplasmic β-GlcNAcidase encoded by the exol gene is shown in SEQ ID NO:4 and consists of 611 amino acids having a predicted molecular weight of 69.4 kDa. A search of the Swiss Protein Data Bank showed 6 proteins with significant homologies to the translated open reading frame of exoJ. The proteins are all hexosaminidases, including the α and β chains of human hexosaminidase. In general, the homologies were restricted to a domain in the V. furnissii enzyme spanning residue 200-400, and comprised about 30% identity in about a 200 amino acid overlap in the other hexosaminidases. It is important to emphasize that enzymes such as the human hexosaminidase differ considerably from the V. furnissii Exo-I in substrate specificity and pH optimum. c. Characterization of recombinant periplasmic β-GlcNAcidase In BL21 (DE3) :pVex:exoI3.7, the β-GlcNAcidase represents about 2.5% of the total protein in maximally induced cells (with IPTG) . Exo-I was purified as described for Endo-I, omitting the hydroxylapatite step, and was obtained in homogeneous form after 40- fold purification and in 22% yield. Purification was followed by measuring the rate of p-nitrophenyl β- GlcNAc hydrolysis (PNP-GlcNAc) . The homogeneous enzyme exhibits an apparent mol . wt . of 68 kDa on SDS gels (compared to the predicted 69.4 kDA from the DNA sequence) . The N-terminal 20 amino acid sequence of the homogeneous enzyme coincided exactly with the predicted sequence. Unlike Endo-I, which is a periplasmic enzyme in both V. furnissii and the E. coli transformants, Exo-I is periplasmic in the former, but not the latter. It appears that E. coli does not recognize the signal encoded in Exo-I. The purified enzyme hydrolyzed aromatic glycosides of β-GlcNAc, such as PNP- and UMF-β-GlcNAc, and showed considerably lower activity on the corresponding N- acetylgalactosamine derivatives. The most active substrates were (GlcNAc) n , n = 3-6, and these compounds were hydrolyzed at pH optima 7-7.5. Most interestingly, at the pH of sea water, about 7.5, the enzyme showed only 2% of the activity with (GlcNAc) 2 compared to the other oligosaccharides. Thus, this enzyme is not a chitobiase, but it actively degrades the higher oligomers to GlcNAc and (GlcNAc) 2 . 3. exoll gene encoding enzyme specific for aryl β-N- acetylglucosaminides a. Cloning of exoJJ gene encoding enzyme specific for aryl β-N-acetylglucosaminides V. furnissii genomic DNA was digested with Clal, the fragments ligated into pBR322, and the plasmids used to transform E. coli HBlOl as described above. The transformants were screened with MUF-β-GlcNAc, exactly as described for screening the Hindlll bank for the exoJ gene. Five positive clones of 6,000 transformants were isolated and analyzed by Southern hybridization. Three clones contained exol but two were different, and identical to one another. The two clones contained a 10.0 Kb V. furnissii DNA fragment (Fig. 4) . The plasmid (designated pRElOO) was isolated, digested with SphI , yielding a 2.8 Kb fragment which was ligated into pBR322 and contained the exoll gene; the plasmid was designated pRE28. Finally, pRE28 was isolated, and the V. furnissii 2.8 Kb fragment digested with Sail , giving two fragments, 1.8 and 1 Kb respectively. The 1.8 Kb Sphl/Sall fragment was blunt ended, and ligated in both orientations into the Smal site of pVex. Both orientations expressed Exo-II, indicating that the 1.8 Kb V. furnissii DNA fragment carries its own promoter; the plasmids are designated pVex:exoIIl .8. b. Characterization of isolated exoJI gene The isolated 1.7 Kb DNA fragment carrying the exoll gene was subcloned into pBluescript SK+/- and sequenced by the dideoxy method from single and double stranded DNA as described in "General Methods". The fragment comprised a sequence of 1713 base pairs, and the entire nucleotide sequence is shown in SEQ ID NO:5. The 1713 base pair DNA fragment contained a single open reading frame of 984 base pairs. The start codon (residue 202) is preceded by a potential ribosomal binding site at residue 191, and -10 and -35 regions (residues 184 and 166, respectively) . A potential rho independent termination signal, a region with diad symmetry (22 bp) was found following the translational termination signal. c. Characterization of recombinant enzyme specific for aryl β-N-acetylglucosaminides The predicted amino acid sequence of the enzyme specific for aryl β-N-acetylglucosaminides encoded by the exoll gene is shown in SEQ ID NO:6 and consists of 328 amino acids having a predicted molecular weight of 36 kDa. The translational start site was confirmed by sequencing 16 N-terminal amino acids from pure recombinant protein. No apparent N-terminal secretory signal sequence is present downstream from the start site. A computer search of protein sequences in the Swiss Prot-gene bank, showed that Exo-II is a unique β- GlcNAcidase, with no homology to other published β- GlcNAcidase sequences. However, the search revealed significant similarity to five bacterial and yeast β- glucosidases. The highest degree of similarity was found to a β-glucosidase from Agrobacterium tumefaciens (37) . The protein shares 26% identity in a stretch of 153 amino acids. This stretch of amino acids includes the catalytic site of the β-glucosidase (25 residues) . Alignment of these 25 residues (the catalytic domain) from the two proteins, reveals 44% identity. The enzyme was purified from transformants of E. coli BL21. Enzymatic activity was monitored continuously by following the rate of release of nitrophenol from the substrate PNP-β-GlcNAc. The enzyme was purified to homogeneity by precipitating nucleic acids from the crude extracts with streptomycin, followed by a 0-60% ammonium sulfate precipitation of the activity, DEAE column chromato¬ graphy, and finally by chromatography on Sephadex G100. The enzyme was purified 58-fold and was obtained in 83% yield. The apparent molecular weight by SDS-PAGE was 36 kDa, which agreed with the predicted molecular weight from the gene sequence, and the N-terminal 16 amino acid sequence coincided with the predicted sequence. The pH optimum of the enzyme is 7.0, and it catalyzes the hydrolysis of aryl (e.g., nitrophenyl) β- GlcNAc glycosides, but no other nitrophenyl glycosides tested except a slight activity on nitrophenyl β-N- acetylgalactosaminide. It was inactive with alkyl β- GlcNAc glycosides, and was completely inactive on chitin oligosaccharides. Interestingly, GlcNAc is a potent inhibitor of Exo-II. 4. chiA gene encoding extracellular chitinase a. Cloning of chiA gene encoding extracellular chitinase The chiA gene was cloned as follows. V. furnissii genomic DNA was digested overnight at 37°C with Nrul and the DΝA fragments purified with GeneCleanll. The fragments were ligated into the vector pUC19, previously digested with Smal followed by treatment with alkaline phosphatase and gel purified using GeneCleanll. The ligation mixture was purified with GeneCleanll, electroporated into E. coli JM109, and plated onto LB ampicillin plates (50 μg ampicillin/ml) . The colonies were screened with a 3.0 Kb EcoRI /Hindl l l DΝA fragment of the plasmid pJP2547 (22) . The plasmid carries the chitinase gene from the marine bacterium Aeromonas hydrophila . Probes were prepared from the plasmid digests thrice purified with GeneCleanll, and labeled with a BMB Random Priming Kit according to the manufacturer's instructions: the mixtures contained 25- 50 ng of digested plasmid DΝA, and 50 μCi [ 32 P] -dATP and gave probes containing 2-5 x 10 8 dpm/μg DΝA. Labelled probe was separated from unincorporated nucleotides by the spun column method (30), and were denatured in 0.5 M KOH at room temperature for 10 min. Colony hybridization was carried out essentially as described by Sambrook et al. (29) . Colonies were plated onto 85 mm agar plates containing the appropriate antibiotic and grown overnight at 37°C. One nitrocellulose filter (Millipore HATF 085-50) was put onto each plate and marked with India ink. The filters were removed and successively saturated with each of the following solutions: 1) 3 min with 10% SDS, 2) 5 min with 0.5 M NaOH/1.5 M NaCl, 3) 5 min with 0.5 M Tris pH 7.4/1.5 M NaCl, and 4) 5 min with 2X SSC; the filters were allowed to dry between treatments. After the final saturation with 2X SSC, the filters were dried at room temperature for 2 hours. Following U.V. crosslinking, the filters were soaked in 2X SSC for 10 min; colony debris was then soft enough to be gently scraped from the filter, using a wet tissue. The nitrocellulose discs were then prehybridized (2 hr, 37°C) , hybridized, and washed under "Stringent" conditions using the SHM mixture described above. Hybridization was carried out for 16-20 hours at 37°C using the denatured, labeled probe. These "Stringent" filters were then washed free of non- hybridized probe by two washes in IX SSC/0.1% SDS, followed by two washes in 0.5X SSC/0.1% SDS at room temperature, allowing 15 minutes per wash. Following washing, the blots were exposed to X-ray film. Colonies which appeared to contain the desired chiA gene were picked and transferred to agar plates containing colloidal chitin. Transformants that expressed the extracellular chitinase yielded clear zones around the colonies. Six clones which cleared the colloidal chitin after 2 days were detected from the 6000 Nrul clones screened. These chitin-clearing clones also gave a strong signal for hybridization to the Aeromonas chitinase probe when compared with V. furnissii , JM109, and JM109/pUC controls. Plasmids were isolated from the six transformants and restriction mapped; all showed an identical 3.0 Kb DNA fragment inserted into the pUC19 MCS vector. This plasmid is hereafter designated pCR-A. To ascertain that the insert contained in pCR-A was actually derived from V. furnissii , two Southern hybridizations were performed using the 3.0 Kb BcoRI/Hindlll fragment from pCR-A as a probe, under "Highly Stringent" conditions . (which would allow hybridization of only identical sequences) . "Highly Stringent" prehybridization/hybridization mix was identical to SHM except that it contained 50% deionized formamide. The insert from pCR-A hybridized strongly to 3.0 and 7.2 Kb bands in Nrul - and Bglll- digested V. furnissii genomic DΝA, but did not hybridize to E. coli K12 genomic DΝA digested with the same enzymes. Likewise, the pCR-A- derived fragment hybridized with itself, but not with plasmids pBluescript II KS+ or SK+, pUC19, pVex, or pJP2547 (from which the Aeromonas probe had been isolated) . b. Characterization of isolated chiA gene The entire V. furnissii insert was required for the chitin clearing phenotype; the 3.0 Kb BcoRI/Hindlll fragment from pCR-A was cloned into pBluescript II KS+ and KS-, and single strand sequenced. Reactions containing dITP were included to resolve compressions which were numerous: G + C content was 63%. The V. furnissii DΝA fragment comprises a sequence of 2951 base pairs. The entire nucleotide sequence is shown in SEQ ID NO:7. The insert contains a single long open reading frame of 2598 base pairs, which would encode a gene product of 866 amino acids with a predicted molecular weight of 91.2 kDa. The predicted amino acid sequence for the extracellular chitinase encoded by the chiA gene is shown in SEQ ID NO: 8. Several regulatory regions were found in the 76 bases located 5' to the start site, including potential promoter regions (-10, -35) . A predicted ribosomal binding site was found at bases 131-137. This sequence differs from the consensus (Shine and Dalgarno) by a single base substitution (AGGAAGT versus AGGAGGT) . No cAMP/CPR binding site was detected in the insert, using a weighted matrix subsequence searching function of PC Gene (consensus sequence derived from data presented in de Crombrugghe et al. (38) and Ebright et al. (39)) . In the sequence situated 3 ' to the coding region is a region with 2-fold rotational symmetry centered at base 2774 with a predicted free energy for stem-and-loop formation of ΔG°'=-27.2 kcal/mol. This structure resembles other prokaryotic rho-independent RNA polymerase termination signals (Rosenberg and Court, Holmes et al. , (40) (41) , Von Hippel et al. , (42) ; transcription typically terminated 16-24 bases downstream from the center of the stem-loop structure (bases 2790-2798) . The chitinase gene was predicted to encode a pre- protein possessing a typical N-terminal signal sequence of 23-24 amino acids. This N-terminal sequence possesses the essential features of a standard signal peptide of the General Secretory Pathway: a short (6 amino acid) hydrophilic domain containing at least one K, a hydrophobic α-helical region rich in A and L, and a less hydrophobic C-terminal domain which terminates in ala-X-ala (36) . A search was conducted in the GenEMBL, GenBank and Swiss Prot databases for other genes and proteins having homologous nucleic acid and amino acid sequences. A high degree of homology was found between the cloned V. furnissii chitinase and chitinase A of Serra tia marcescens (Koo et al . , 1992, SwissProt #P07254) . Of the entire S. marcescens chitinase A, 71.4% of the amino acids were identical to those in the V. furnissii chitinase; an additional 20% of the amino acids were conserved between the two; since the molecular weight of S. marcescens chitinase A is 59 kDa, homology between the two proteins extends only through the N-terminal two-thirds of the V. furnissii chitinase. A multiple alignment was performed with other homologous proteins and the V. furnissii chitinase. There is a high degree of conservation among these proteins over a 140 amino acid stretch between L256 and F396 of the V. furnissii chitinase. This region is hypothesized to contain the chitinase active site (Kuranda and Robbins (9) ; Watanabe et al. , (18) ; this region of homology also encompasses two residues essential for chitinase activity (Watanabe et al . , (18)) . No significant homology was found between V. furnissii chitinase and plant or fungal chitinases, chitinase D of Bacillus circulans, or hexosaminidases. Some homology was found between V. furnissii chitinase and V. furnissii periplasmic chitodextrinase (Endo-I) . Although 26 gaps were introduced in order to align the sequences, the same two regions of homology noted by Kuranda and Robbins (9) are present. Additionally, one of the two "essential" amino acids, D311, is conserved between the two proteins. c. Characterization of recombinant extracellular chitinase The cloned protein is expressed constitutively in E. coli BL21; only about 10% of the enzyme is secreted, which is not surprising since E. coli secretes very few extracellular proteins. The enzyme was purified to homogeneity as follows. E. coli BL21 transformants harboring the plasmid pCR-A were grown to stationary phase, and ruptured in a French Pressure Cell. The supernatant fluid was treated with streptomycin sulfate to remove nucleic acids, the proteins precipitated with solid ammonium sulfate (to 85% of saturation) , and the protein pellet extracted with decreasing concentrations of ammonium sulfate. Chitinase activity was found in the 20-40% fraction, and was applied to a C4-cellufine reverse phase column. The latter was eluted with a gradient of decreasing ammonium sulfate, and active fractions were combined, dialyzed against 50 mM pyridine acetate buffer, pH 6, and adsorbed to a DEAE-Sepharose CL-6B column equilibrated with the same buffer. The column was washed, and eluted with a linear gradient of the buffer containing increasing concentrations of NaCl, the active fractions were pooled, purified by gel filtration on a Sepharose CL-6B column, and finally chromatographed on phenyl- Sepaharose CL-4B (eluted with 50 mM Tris, pH 7.5) . The enzyme was purified about 33-fold, and the yield was 64%. The method of assay was to measure the rate of release of soluble counts from [ 3 H] -acetyl labeled chitin (43) . The homogeneous protein is approximately 102 kDa (SDS-PAGE) , which is somewhat higher than the molecular weight predicted from the DNA sequence (91.2 kDa) . Gel filtration studies show that the protein exists as a monomer. The optimum conditions for chitin hydrolysis are pH 6.0, 37-42°C, and 50-100 mM NaCl. N,N' -diacetylchitobiose, or (GlcNAc) 2 , is produced from chitin, and no intermediates are detected at even the earliest time points (1 minute) . After prolonged incubation of the chitin with the enzyme (1-3 days) , significant quantities of GlcNAc were also detected. 5. Production of site directed deletion mutants in V. furnissii The methods for the production and the characterization of each of the two specific deletion mutations in the endJ or the exol genes in V. furnissii are as follows. The general procedure is to use a "suicide vector", i.e., one that cannot be replicated in V. furnissii because the vector lacks an origin of replication that is recognized by the host cell. In this approach, the vector contains a host gene or a fragment of the gene interrupted by an antibiotic marker. That is, the antibiotic cartridge is flanked on each side by DNA from the gene that is to be deleted. When the plasmid is transferred to V. furnissii , homologous recombination in each of the flanking regions results in insertion of the antibiotic cartridge into the host genome, giving a site directed null or deletion mutant. The method of Simon et al. (44) involves conjugal transfer of plasmids from an E. coli mobilizing donor (IncP-type) to any Gram negative bacterium. The plasmid (e.g., a modified pACYC184) contains the Mob site for mobilization, and can only be propagated in the donor. From 5-10% of the transconjugants consisted of double cross-overs, giving the desired dual recom- binant null mutant. The basic method has been improved, and used with two species of Vibrios (45-47) . A vector, pNQ705 was constructed from pBR322 in which its origin of repli¬ cation was deleted, and replaced with R6K Ori and therefore, pNQ705 can only be replicated in cells containing π, a protein encoded by the pir gene. An E. coli λ pir lysogen is used to amplify the plasmid. pNQ705 also carries the mobilizing genes required for conjugal transfer of the plasmid to another cell, Cm r and a multiple cloning site. After amplification of the plasmid in an appropriate E. coli host strain, S17-1, it is transferred by conjugation into recipient cells where it cannot be replicated. Antibiotic resistant recipient cells are therefore recombinants. Miller and Mekalanos (46) used this procedure to construct site- directed mutants of V. cholerae toxJ?, and Milton et al. (47) to construct similar null mutants of a metalloprotease gene in V. anguillarum. In the present application, the reported procedures were modified to construct the suicide vectors, pNQT:Endol: :Cm and pNQT:ExoI : :Cm. The constructs contained the following: (a) Ori R6K, an origin of replication that requires the π protein for replication; (b) the Mob RP4 genes that permit the plasmid to be transferred (mobilized) into any Gram negative recipient such as V. furnissii ; (c) a Tc r , or tetracycline resistance gene and (d) the fragment of DNA encoding endol or exoJ interrupted with the Cm or chloramphenicol resistance gene. Two strains of V. furnissii were used as recipients of the conjugations, V. furnissii SR1519 (wild type) and V. furnissii AP801, a mutant in nagE (the GlcNAc permease) that has been described (48-50) . A similar protocol was followed for constructing pNQT:ExoI : :Cm and the corresponding null mutants. The deletion mutants were characterized by Southern blots, which showed that the Cm r cartridge had been inserted in the proper position in the V. furnissii genomic DNA. a. Production and characterization of strain SR1545.15 The construction of pNQT-Endol : :Cm and of the V. furnissii null mutants is illustrated schematically in Figs. 5 and 6. V. furnissii strain SR1545.15, or SR1519 [Endol ::Cm] was prepared as follows. The wild type V. furnissii SR1519 was conjugated with E. coli S17-1, which harbored the plasmid pNQT-Endol ::Cm. The transconjugants (several thousand) were Ap r Cm r Tc s . After purification of several clones, the genomic DNA was shown to contain the Cm r insert in endol by the methods described above. V. furnissii strain SR1545.15 has a deletion between base pairs 1670 and 2236 in the endl gene, and the Cm r gene is inserted in this region. In other words, the endl open reading frame ends at bp 1669, followed by the inserted Cm r , followed by the remainder of the ORF, starting with bp 2237. b. Production of strain SR1540.11 Strain SR1540.11 was prepared exactly as described for strain SR1545.15, except that the deletion was constructed in V. furnissii AP801, i.e., SR1540.11 is AP801 [Endol ::Cm] . It was characterized by the same methods used for SR1545.15. Strain SR1540.11 has precisely the same deletion as SR1545.15. c. Production and characterization of strain SR1550.304 Strain SR1550.304 was prepared as follows. The plasmid pBR322 :exoI3.7 is described above, and contains the gene exol, which expresses the enzyme Exol. The plasmid was treated with Sstll, which cuts exol at bp . 1170 and 1634. After blunt ending the two ends, they are ligated to Cm r , which has also been blunt ended (Fig. 7) . Thus, there are about 1.17 Kb of exol upstream of the 5' terminus of Cm r , and 2.0 Kb of exol at the 3 ' terminus. The interrupted gene is then cut ■ from the plasmid with Clal and Ndel , blunted, and ligated into the Smal site of pΝQT, giving pΝQT:ExoI: :Cm. The remaining steps are exactly as described for constructing strain SR1545.15, yielding the null (deletion) mutant V. furnissii SR1550.304, or, SR1519 [Exol : :Cm] . The deletion mutant contains Cm r inserted into exol, which has been deleted between bp 1170-1634. d. Production and characterization of strain SR1550.104 Strain SR1550.104 was prepared precisely as described for SR1550.304 except that the deletion was transferred by homologous recombination into the host V. furnissii AP801. Strain SR1550.104 is V. furnissii AP801 [Exol: :Cm] . Two steps are required to make the oligosaccharides: (A) conversion of chitin to a mixture of soluble oligosaccharides, (GlcNAc) n and (B) resolution of the mixture to obtain single pure oligomers, or, defined mixtures, such as (GlcNAc) 4 and (GlcNAc) 5 , the oligomers that are most active in inducing plant nodules (after appropriate modification) . STEP A : Chitin - soluble (GlcNAc)n Two methods give the desired products: 1. Partial acid hydrolysis of particulate chitin yields a mixture of soluble oligomers, some of which are partially deacetylated. The mixture is then quantitatively reacetylated with acetic anhydride in water (55,56) . 2. A mixture of lower oligosaccharides, (GlcNAc) n , n = 2-4, and possibly some (GlcNAc) 5 are produced by the action of lysozyme on chitin (62) . Egg white lysozyme is plentiful, commercially available, and quite inexpensive (about $10/gram) . STEP B : Mixed (GlcNAc) n - A single (GlcNAc) n Table I presents examples of procedures of the present invention that can be used to prepare chitin oligosaccharides. These methods result in obtaining large quantities of pure oligosaccharides by using appropriate recombinant enzymes and/or intact cells to resolve the mixtures. TABLE I METHODS FOR PREPARING CHITIN OLIGOSACCHARIDES DESIRED STARTING STEPS EXPECTED (GlcNAc) n MATERIAL PRODUCTS (GlcNAc) 2 Chitin 1. E-chitinase 1. (GlcNAc) 2 2. E. coli + (GlcNAc) 2. (GlcNAc) j (GlcNAc) 3 Soluble 1. Endo-I 1. (GlcNAc) 3 (GlcNAc) n 2. V. furnissii + ( (GlcNAc) 2 ) Exo-I deletion, 2. (GlcNAc) 3 SR1519 (GlcNAc) 4 Soluble 1. Exhaustive lyso 1. (GlcNAc) 4 (GlcNAc) n zyme + ( (GlcNAc) n , or chitin 2. V. furnissii n = 1-3) Endo-I deletion, 2. (GlcNAc) 4 SR1519 (GlcNAc) 5 Soluble 1. Partial lysozyme 1. (GlcNAc) 5 (GlcNAc) n 2. V. furnissii + ( (GlcNAc) n , or chitin Endo-I deletion, n = 1-4) SR1519 2. (GlcNAc)s (GlcNAc) n Soluble V . furnissii Endo-I (GlcNAc) n n n ≥ 5 (GlcNAc) n deletion,SR1519 ≥ 5 The normal substrate for egg white lysozyme is the N- acetylmuramyl glycosidic bond in bacterial cell walls, but it cleaves (GlcNAc) 6 at about 50% of this rate. The rates of cleavage of other (GlcNAc) n (relative to (GlcNAc) 6 ) are as follows: (GlcNAc) 6 , 100; (GlcNAc) 5 , 13; (GlcNAc) 4 , 2.6; (GlcNAc) 3 , 0.33; (GlcNAc) 2 , 0.001. The following Example describes the preparation of the disaccharide, (GlcNAc) 2 , from chitin. Crude commercial chitin (40 g) was dissolved in concentrated HCl at 0°C, and reprecipitated by dilution in ice water. This step removes many impurities, and gives a finely divided, almost colloidal preparation of the chitin (63) . The E-chitinase preparation was the ammonium sulfate fraction from 10 g wet weight of E. coli BL21- chiA . The preparation in 50 mM pyridyl acetate buffer, pH 6, was dialyzed against the same buffer, mixed with the chitin preparation in the dialysis bag, and the mixture incubated for 3 days at 37°C with stirring. Most of the precipitate was solubilized during the incubation. The dialysate was concentrated to remove the volatile buffer, yielding about 20 g of residue, consisting mostly of (GlcNAc) 2 and some GlcNAc. The mixture was treated as described above (for the preparation of ManNAc) with E. coli to remove the GlcNAc, yielding about 15 g of (GlcNAc) 2 . While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment, but on the contrary is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. 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Termination of transcription in E. coli . Cell 32:1029-1032. 42. Von Hippel, P.H., D.G. Bear, W.D. Morgan, and J.A. McSwiggen. 1984. Protein-nucleic acid interactions in transcription: a molecular analysis. Ann. Rev. Biochem. 53:389-446. 43. Cabib, E. 1988. Assay for chitinase using tritiated chitin. Methods Enzymol . 161:424-426. 44. Simon, R. , U. Priefer, and A. Puhler. 1983. A broad host range mobilization system for in vivo genetic engineering: transposon mutagenesis in gram negative bacteria. Biotechnology 1:784-791. 45. Taylor, R.K., C. Manoil, and J.J. Mekalanos. 1989. Broad-host-range vectors for delivery of TnphoA: Use in genetic analysis of secreted virulence determinants of Vibrio cholerae . J. Bacteriol . 171:1870-1878. 46. Miller, V.L. and J.J. Mekalanos. 1988. A novel suicide vector and its use in construction of insertion mutations: osmoregulation of outer membrane proteins and virulence determinants in Vibrio cholerae requires taxR . J. Bacteriol . 170:2575-2583. 47. Milton, D.L., A. Norqvist, and H. Wolf-Watz. 1992. Cloning a metalloprotease gene involved in the virulence mechanism of Vibrio anguillarum. J. Bacteriol . 174:7235-7244. 48. Bassler, B.L., C. Yu, Y.C. Lee, and S. Roseman. 1991. Chitin utilization by marine bacteria: degradation and catabolism of chitin oligosaccharides by Vibrio furnissii . J " . Biol . Chem. 266:24276-24286. 49. Yu, C, A.M. Lee, B.L. Bassler, and S. Roseman. 1991. Chitin utilization by marine bacteria: a physiological function for bacterial adhesion to immobilized carbohydrates. J. Biol . Chem. 266:24260-24267. 50. Bassler, B.L., P.J. Gibbons, C. Yu, and S. Roseman. 1991. Chitin utilization by marine bacteria: chemotaxis to chitin oligosaccharides by Vibrio furnissii . J. Biol . Chem. 266:24268-24275. 51. John, M., H. Rohrig, J. Schmidt, U. Wieneke, and J. Schell. 1993. Rhizobium NodB protein involved in nodulation signal synthesis is a chitinoligosaccharide deacetylase. Proc . Natl . Acad. Sci . , U. S. A . 90:625-629. 52. Kendra, D.F. and L.A. Hadwiger. 1984. Characterization of the smallest chitosan oligomer that is maximally antifungai to Fusarium solni and elicits pisatin formation in Pisum sativum. Experimental Mycology 8:276-281. 53. Ryan, CA. 1994. Commentary: Oligosaccharide signals: From plant defense to parasite offense. Proc. Na tl . Acad. Sci . , U. S. A . 91:1-2. /25424 PCMJS96/02332 -62- 54. Horowitz, S.T., S. Roseman, and H.J. Blu enthal . 1957. The preparation of glucosamine oligosaccharides. I. Separation. J " . Am. Chem . Soc . 79:5046-5049. 55. Roseman, S. and J. Ludowieg. 1954. N-Acetylation of the hexosamines. J. Am. Chem . Soc . 76:301-302. 56. Roseman, S. and I. Daffner. 1956. Colorimetric method for the determination of glucosamine and galactosamine. Anal. Chem . 28:1743-1746. 57. Comb, D.G. and S. Roseman. 1958. Composition and enzymatic synthesis of N-acetylneuraminic acid (sialic acid) . J. Am. Chem. Soc . 80:497-498. 58. Roseman, S. and D.G. Comb. 1958. The hexosamine moiety of N-acetylneuraminic acid (sialic acid) . J " . Am. Chem . Soc . 80:3166 59. Comb, D.G. and S. Roseman. 1960. The sialic acids. I. The structure and enzymatic synthesis of N-acetylneuraminic acid. J. Biol . Chem. 235:2529-2537. 60. Spivak, C. and S. Roseman. 1959. Preparation of N-acetyl-D-mannosamine and D-mannosamine hydrochloride. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 81:2403-2404. 61. Stock, J.B., B. Rauch, and S. Roseman. 1977. Periplasmic space in Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli . J. Biol . Chem. 252:7850-7861. 62. Imoto, T., L.N. Johnson, A.C.T. North, D.C. Phillips, and J.A. Rupley. 1972. Vertebrate Lysozymes . 3rd Edition:666-868. Abstract. 63. Pegg, G.F. 1988. Chitinase from tomato. Methods in Enzymology (Wood and Kellogg, eds.), Vol. 181 Part B, 484-489. SEOUENCE LISTING: SEQ ID NO:l is the nucleotide sequence for the gene encoding periplasmic chitodextrinase. SEQ ID NO:2 is the amino acid sequence for periplasmic chitodextrinase. SEQ ID NO:3 is the nucleotide sequence for the gene encoding periplasmic -GlcNAcidase. SEQ ID NO:4 is the amino acid sequence for periplasmic β-GlcNAcidase. SEQ ID NO:5 is the nucleotide sequence for the gene encoding aryl β-N-acetylglucosaminidase. SEQ ID NO:6 is the amino acid sequence for aryl β- N-acetylglucosaminidase. SEQ ID NO:7 is the nucleotide sequence for the gene encoding extracellular chitinase. SEQ ID NO:8 is the amino acid sequence for extracellular chitinase. SEQUENCE LISTING (1) GENERAL INFORMATION: (i) APPLICANT: THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY (ii) TITLE OF INVENTION: BACTERIAL CATABOLISM OF CHITIN (iii) NUMBER OF SEQUENCES: 8 (iv) CORRESPONDENCE ADDRESS: (A) ADDRESSEE: FISH & RICHARDSON P.C. (B) STREET: 4225 Executive Square, Suite 1400 (C) CITY: La Jolla (D) STATE: CA (E) COUNTRY: USA (F) ZIP: 92037 (v) COMPUTER READABLE FORM: (A) MEDIUM TYPE: Floppy disk (B) COMPUTER: IBM PC compatible (C) OPERATING SYSTEM: PC-DOS/MS-DOS (D) SOFTWARE: PatentIn Release #1.0, Version #1.25 (vi) CURRENT APPLICATION DATA: (A) APPLICATION NUMBER: PCT/ (B) FILING DATE: 13-FEB-1996 (C) CLASSIFICATION: (viii) ATTORNEY/AGENT INFORMATION: (A) NAME: Haile, Lisa A. (B) REGISTRATION NUMBER: 38,347 (C) REFERENCE/DOCKET NUMBER: 07662/005WO1 (ix) TELECOMMUNICATION INFORMATION: (A) TELEPHONE: (619) 678-5070 (B) TELEFAX: (619) 678-5099 (C) TELEX: (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID Nθ:l: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 6180 base pairs (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA (genomic) (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID Nθ:l: TATTCCCGTA AAACAATAAC TTAAGGAAAT AAAAATGCGC TTACATCGAG CTAAAGTGTC 60 GAAGAGTGTC TTTACGCTCA GCACTTTGAC GGCTTCGTGC CTCATGGCGT TCAACAGCTA 120 TGCAGCGGTG GATTGTTCTG CTCTGGCGGA GTGGCAATCT GACACAATTT ATACTGGCGG 180 CGATCAGGTT CAATACAACG GGTCTGCGTA TCAGGCCAAT TATTGGACGC AGAATAACGA 240 TCCGGAGCAG TTCTCCGGTG ATTACGCGCA GTGGAAACTG CTAGATGCTT GTACGACCGA 300 CGGTGGCGAT GACAATCAGG CTCCCAATGC GACATTGACC TCTCCGTCGG CGTCGGATGT 360 GTTGACAACC GGAGATGTGG TGACGCTGGC GGCCAGCGCG TCAGACAACG ACGGGACGAT 420 CGCACGTGTC GATTTTCTGG TTGATGGTGT GGTGGTTGCC CAAGCGAGCA GTGCACCCTA 480 CAGCGCCACA TGGACGGCGG TCGCCGGAAC ACACCAAATC AGCGCCATTG CTTATGATGA 540 CAAGGCACTT GCCAGCACGG CGAGTCAAGT CTCTGTTTCG GTGACAGACA GCACGCAACC 600 GGGCAACGAA GCGCCAACGG TAGACATCAC GTTGTCTGCC AGCCAAGTGG ATGTGGGGGA 660 CGTGGTGACG CTCACGGCCA ATGCTGCAGA CGCTGATGGC AGTGTCGACA AAGTTGATTT 720 TTACGTGGCC GGCTCTCTTG TGGGAACAGT CGCTTCTACA CCTTACACTT TGGATTACAC 780 CACCACCCGT TCGGGGCGCT GGCTGTGTTT GCGCGCGCGA CTGATAACGT CGGCGCGACA 8 0 ACGGATTCGA CCGCGGCGAC GCCTGACGGT GGCTGCTGGT CCGTGGTCAG TACCTGTCGT 900 CCTGATGGTT TGTATCAAAC CGAAGGGTCA GTGTGCCGTA TTGTACGGTG TACGTGAAGA 960 TGGCCGCGAG AAAATGGGTG CCGATCACCC CCGTCGCGTC ATTGGGTATT TCACCAGTTG 1020 GCGAGCGGGA GACGATGATC AGACCGCTTA CTTGGTTAAA GACATTCCTT GGGAACAGCT 1080 TACGCACATC AACTACGCGT TTGTCAGCAT TGGTTCTGAT GGCAAAGTCA ATGTCGGTGA 1140 TGTCAACGAT GCCAATAACG CGGCGGTTGG AAAAGAGTGG GATGGCGTTG AAATTGACCC 1200 AACGCTGGGC TTTAAAGGCC ATTTCGGCGC ACTGGCAACC TACAAGCAAA AATATGGTGT 1260 GAAAACGCTG ATCTCGATTG GCGGCTGGGC CGAAACGGGC GGGCATTTTG ACAATGATGG 1320 CAATCGTGTT GCGGATGGCG GTTTCTATAC CATGACCACC AACGCAGACG GTTCGATTAA 1380 TCAACAAGGC ATTGAAACCT TTGCTGATTC CGCAGTTGAA ATGATGCGAA AATACCGTTT 1440 CGATGGATTG GACATTGACC TACGAATATC CAACATCGAT GGCGGGACGG GCAATCCTGA 1500 CGACACCGCA TTCTCTGAAT CACGCCGTGC TTACCTGATG AATTCTTATC ACGAACTGAT 1560 GCGTGTGCTG CGTGAAAAAC TGGATGTAGC GAGCGCTCAA GATGGTGTGC ATTACATGCT 1620 GACCATTGCC GCGCCATCAT CGGCTTATCT GCTACGTGGT ATGGAAACCA TGGCGGTGAC 1680 TCAGTACCTT GATTACGTGA ACATCATGTC CTACGACTTA CATGGTGCGT GGAACGATCA 1740 TGTCGGTCAC AACGCAGCAC TGTACGACAC CGGGAAGGAT TCTGAACTGG CACAATGGAA 1800 TGTGTACGGC ACGGCGCAAT ATGGCGOTAT TGGTTACCTC AACACCGATT GGGCATTCCA 1860 CTATTTCCGC GGTTCAATGC CAGCGGGTCG CATCAACATT GGCGTGCCTT ACTACACCCG 1920 CGGTTGGCAG GGCGTCACTG GTGGTGATAA TGGCCTTTGG GGCGCGCGGC TTGCCAAATC 1980 AAAGCGAGTG TCCAACCGGT ACGGCGAGGG CGAGAAAAAC AACTGCGGTT ACGGCGCGAC 2040 GGGCCTAGAT AACATGTGGC ACGATGTCAA CGCCGCTGGT GATGAGATGG GCGCAGGTTC 2100 TAACCCAATG TGGCATGCTA AAAACTTGGA GCACGGCATT TGGGGTTCCT ATTTAGCGGT 2160 CTATGGTTTG GATCCAACCA CCGCACCGTT GGTTGGCACG TATGCCCGTA ATTACGACAG 2220 TGTGGCGATT GCGCCATGGC TTTGGAACGC AGAGAAGAAA GTGTTCCTGT CGACGGAAGA 2280 CAAGCAATCC ATTGATGTAA AAGCAGATTA CGTGATCGAT AAAGAGATCG GCGGCATCAT 2340 GTTCTGGGAA CTCGCGGGAG ACTACAACTG CTACGTGCTC GATGCCAACG GCCAACGCAC 2400 CAGCATTGAT AGCACGGAAC AGGCGTGTGA AAGCGGTCAA GGTGAATACC ACATGGGGAA 2460 CACCATGACC AAAGCCATTT ACGACAAGTT CAAAGCGGCG ACGCCATATG GCAACACCGT 2520 GGCGACGGGC GCGGTTCCGT CTGAAACCGT CGATATCGCT GTGTCGATTG GCGGTTTTAA 2580 AGTGGGCGAC CAGAACTACC CAATCAATCC GAAAGTCACC TTTACCAACA ACACGGGCGT 2640 TGATATTCCC GGTGGCACGG CATTCCAGTT CGACATTCCG GTTTCTGCGC CAGATAATGC 2700 CAAAGACCAA TCGGGTGGTG GTTTGAGCGT GATTGCCTCT GGTCATACGC GTGCAGATAA 2760 CATCGGCGGT TTGGATGGCA CAATGCACCG CGTCGCGTTC TCGCTGCCTG CGTGGAAAAC 2820 GCTACCAGCG GGCGACACGT ACGAGTTGGA CATGGTGTAC TACTTGCCGA TTTCAGGGCC 2880 AGCAAACTAC AGCGTGAACA TTAACGGCGT GGATTATGCC TTTAAGTTTG AACAACCTGA 2940 TTTGCCGCTC GCGGATCTCT CGTCAGGAAA TGGGGGGGGC ACCGGCGGTG GCGACACTGG 3000 CGGCGGAACG ACTGAGCCGG GTGATGTTGT GGAATGGGTA CCCGGTTCGA CGCAAGTGAG ' 3060 CGATGGCACG ACGGTGACCT ACAACGGCAA GTGCTTTGTG GCGCAAAACA GCCCAGGCGT 3120 GTGGGAAAGC CCAACCCAGA CCAATTGGTT CTGGGAGGAA GTGACCTGCC CGTAAAGGGA 3180 AGCCACTGTG AAAAAACCGT CCTTCGGGGC GGTTTTTTGT GTGACGGATA AGCGATACAA 3240 CGCGCTCAGA ACAATAGTGT CGAATGCGAA GCCTTAACTC GCATGATACT TAACTCGCTG 3300 ATAGGAGTGA AGGCTTCGCG TCGGCGTGAC TCATGCATGG CTCACGAAGG AGGCGTGAAT 3360 TGATAGCAAA CCGGCACCAC CACAATCCCT TTTTCAGAAA TTTGGAAGCG TTTGGCATCC 3420 TCAATTCGGT TTAAGCCAAT TTGCGTGTGC GGCGGAATTT TAACGTGCTT GTCGATGATG 3480 CAGTTGACCA ACTGACAACC ATCGCCCACT TCCACATCAT CAAACAAAAT GCTGTCGACA 3540 ATGGTGGCGC CGTCGTTGAT GCGCACACCG GAAGAGACAA TCGAGTGCTG CACCGAGCCG 3600 CCCGAGTTGA TCACGCCGTT GGAAATGATG GAGTTGATAA AGATTCCTTC ATTCCCCGTG 3660 GCCGATGACA CCGTACGTGC TGGCGGAAGC TGTGGTTCGT ACGTACGAAT CGCCCAGTTT 3720 TTTTGGTACA AATTCATGGG CGGAACCGGC TCAAGTAAAT CCATATTGGC TTCATAAAAT 3780 GAGTCAATCG TGCCTACATC GCGCCAGTAG CAATCTTTCG CGACGCGCCC TTTGTCATTG 3840 CCAAACTGAT ATGCGTATAC GCTTTGGGTT GGGATCAGTT TTGGAATGAT GTCTTTGCCA 3900 AAGTCATGAC TTGAACCACT GTTTTCTGAG TCTTCATTCA GCGCTTGTTG GAGCGTTTCC 3960 ATATTAAAAA TATAGATGCC CATCGAGGCC AAACTGCGAT CAGGTTGTGA AGGCATCGCG 4020 GGGGGATCGC TTGGCTTCTC AACAAATGAG GTAATACGGT GTTCATCATC AATGGCCATC 4080 ACGCCAAACG CTTTGGCTTC TTCGCGTGGC ACATCCATGC AAGCGATTGT CAGCGTGGCG 4140 CCTTTCTCAA TGTGCTCTTC CAGCATCGCG CATAATCCAT GCGGTAAATA TGATCGCCGG 4200 ACAGCACAAC GACGTGCTTG GCATCGCTGC GTGACAGTAG CCACATGTTG TGAAACAGCG 4260 CATCGGCTGT TCCTTCGTAC CATTTGGCCA CCTTTGCGCA TTTGTGGGGG GACCACAGTA 4320 ATGAACTCGC CCAATTCGGG GTTAAAAATG GACCAGCCAT CACGCAGGTG TTTCTGCAAT 4380 GAATGCGATT TGTATTGTGT CAGCACCAAA ATGCGGCGTA AGCCTGAGTG CAGACAGTTC 4440 GTGAGGGTAA AATCGACTGA TGCGATATTT GCCGCCAAAT GGTACGGCGG GTTTTGCGCG 4500 ATCATCGGTG AGGGGGGAAA GTCGTGAGCC CATACCGCCG GCCAACACGA CTGCTAAGGT 4560 ATCTTGCATC TTTTACTCCC TAATCATGTG CAATTCATAA CCACTTTAGA GAGTAGTACA 4620 AGTTTCACGC CACAATTGGA ATGACCGTCA AATATGGGAT GTGCGTAGTT TAGTTGTTAC 4680 TAATGCACTA AAACAAGGCA TCTTGTGCGT TAAAATTGCA CCGTGTTGGT GCTGTGAAAA 4740 TAGAGGATGA TTAAGCGAAG TGAACCATTT CTGCGCTGGT GAGCACGGAG ACGACATTTC 4800 GGCCTGACTC TTTGGATTCG TACAAGGCCA TGGTCGGCAC GTTGATACAC TTCTTCAGGC 4860 ACTTCAGTGA TATCCGTCAG GCCGCCGCTG ACGGATAAAT CCCCTTGATG GAGATCGAAC 4920 ACCGCCACGC GAAGCCGATT GAGGACGGTT TCCGCTTCAT CGATTGGTGT GTGAGGCAAA 4980 ATGATGGCAA ATTCTTCGCC ACCAATTCGT GCAAGAAAGT CTGATTCGCG CAGTTCATTG 5040 CGCAAACATT GGGCAACGGC ACGAATGGTT TTATCGCCGC GCGCGTGGCC ATATTTGTCA 5100 TTGATGCGCT TGAAGTGATC AATATCGAGA ATCGCCAAGC ACGATTGCTC GTGTGCCGGA 5160 TAGCGTTTGA CACGCATGCA TTCCGAGCGG AATTCTTGAT CAAATTTACG TCGGTTCCAG 5220 ATGTTGGATA ATCCATCTTT TTCACTTTGG TCACGCAATT GGTCTTCCAG CAACTTGCGT 5280 TCAGTGATGT CAACAAACGA CGCCACGTAG AACTGAATGA TGTCGTCATC ATCCAAAATG 5340 GTCTGAATAC GTAAGATCTC CGTGAGCATC GAGCCATCTT TACGTTGGTT GATCACTTCG 5400 CCTTCCCAGA AGCCGTCATT CTGCAGCGCC TGCCACATCT CGACATAAAA TTCTGACGTG 5460 TGTTTTCCAG AGGCAAACAT CGATGGTTGT TGCCCGCTCA CTTCTTCAAA GCTGTAGCCA 5520 CTCAGGCGGG TAAACTCATT GTTGACCTTG ATGATGCGAT TATTGCGGTC GGTGATGATC 5580 ACCGCCGACA TGCCATTCAT CGCCGCGCGC GCCAATTTAC TCTCAATGCT GTTTTTCTGA 5640 TGGTTGTTGT TCCACAGCAC GAAGATCGAG GCAATCAGGC AAATCAGCGC AAACAGGGCA 5700 ACCATTTGTA GGGTTAACGT GTTTTTGCTG TTGTGCATCA AGGCATGGAT TTCGCTATTC 5760 TCAACACGCT CCAATAACAC CACCGAGGGC ACGTTGACCA ACGATGCGTT TGGCGAAATC 5B20 TTCACAAAAC TGAACCATTG ACCGTTTTCG GAAATGGTGC CTTGTTCGTC AGAAAGAATG 5880 GTATGCCAAA GCTGCGGGAA ACGCTGCGCC AAATTAGTGA GCGCGGTACG ATCGTTTGAT 5940 TCCTCCAGCC GCTGACTCAT CAACACATCC CCGTTGAGGT TCAGAATATC GGGCAGCATG 6000 GCTCGGCGAT TGCTGCCAGC AATTTGCTGA TAAATGTAGT TCAGATTGAT GTTTGCGACG 6060 AAATAGCCTT TGCGCTCGCC ATCAAGTTCG ATTGGGGAGA CAAAATAGAG CGATGGTTTG 6120 GTGGGCGTCA TGTCGTCGCC AGTCGATTGC ACACCAAACA CGCCGATTTG CCCCGCAGAC 6180 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:2: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 1046 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:2: Met Arg Leu His Arg Ala Lys Val Ser Lys Ser Val Phe Thr Leu Ser 1 5 10 15 Thr Leu Thr Ala Ser Cys Leu Met Ala Phe Asn Ser Tyr Ala Ala Val 20 25 30 Asp Cys Ser Ala Leu Ala Glu Trp Gin Ser Asp Thr lie Tyr Thr Gly 35 40 45 Gly Asp Gin Val Gin Tyr Asn Gly Ser Ala Tyr Gin Ala Asn Tyr Trp 50 55 60 Thr Gin Asn Asn Asp Pro Glu Gin Phe Ser Gly Asp Tyr Ala Gin Trp 65 70 75 80 Lys Leu Leu Asp Ala Cys Thr Thr Asp Gly Gly Asp Asp Asn Gin Ala 85 90 95 Pro Asn Ala Thr Leu Thr Ser Pro Ser Ala Ser Asp Val Leu Thr Thr 100 105 110 Gly Asp Val Val Thr Leu Ala Ala Ser Ala Ser Asp Asn Asp Gly Thr 115 120 125 He Ala Arg Val Asp Phe Leu Val Asp Gly Val Val Val Ala Gin Ala 130 135 140 Ser Ser Ala Pro Tyr Ser Ala Thr Trp Thr Ala Val Ala Gly Thr His 145 150 155 160 Gin He Ser Ala He Ala Tyr Asp Asp Lys Ala Leu Ala Ser Thr Ala 165 170 175 Ser Gin Val Ser Val Ser Val Thr Asp Ser Thr Gin Pro Gly Asn Glu 180 185 190 Ala Pro Thr Val Asp He Thr Leu Ser Ala Ser Gin Val Asp Val Gly 195 200 205 Asp Val Val Thr Leu Thr Ala Asn Ala Ala Asp Ala Asp Gly Ser Val 210 215 220 Asp Lys Val Asp Phe Tyr Val Ala Gly Ser Leu Val Gly Thr Val Ala 225 230 235 240 Ser Thr Pro Tyr Thr Leu Asp Tyr Thr Thr Thr Arg Ser Gly Arg Trp 245 250 255 Leu Cys Leu Arg Ala Arg Leu He Thr Ser Ala Arg Gin Arg He Arg 260 265 270 Pro Arg Arg Arg Leu Thr Val Ala Ala Gly Pro Trp Ser Val Pro Val 275 280 285 Val Leu Met Val Cys He Lys Pro Lys Gly Gin Cys Ala Val Leu Tyr 290 295 300 Gly Val Arg Glu Asp Gly Arg Glu Lys Met Gly Ala Asp His Pro Arg 305 310 315 320 Arg Val He Gly Tyr Phe Thr Ser Trp Arg Ala Gly Asp Asp Asp Gin 325 330 335 Thr Ala Tyr Leu Val Lys Asp He Pro Trp Glu Gin Leu Thr His He 340 345 350 Asn Tyr Ala Phe Val Ser He Gly Ser Asp Gly Lys Val Asn Val Gly 355 360 365 Asp Val Asn Asp Ala Asn Asn Ala Ala Val Gly Lys Glu Trp Asp Gly 370 375 380 Val Glu He Asp Pro Thr Leu Gly Phe Lys Gly His Phe Gly Ala Leu 385 390 395 400 Ala Thr Tyr Lys Gin Lys Tyr Gly Val Lys Thr Leu He Ser He Gly 405 410 415 Gly Trp Ala Glu Thr Gly Gly His Phe Asp Asn Asp Gly Asn Arg Val 420 425 430 Ala Asp Gly Gly Phe Tyr Thr Met Thr Thr Asn Ala Asp Gly Ser He 435 440 445 Asn Gin Gin Gly He Glu Thr Phe Ala Asp Ser Ala Val Glu Met Met 450 455 460 Arg Lys Tyr Arg Phe Asp Gly Leu Asp He Asp Leu Arg He Ser Asn 465 470 475 480 He Asp Gly Gly Thr Gly Asn Pro Asp Asp Thr Ala Phe Ser Glu Ser 485 490 495 Arg Arg Ala Tyr Leu Met Asn Ser Tyr His Glu Leu Met Arg Val Leu 500 505 510 Arg Glu Lys Leu Asp Val Ala Ser Ala Gin Asp Gly Val His Tyr Met 515 520 525 Leu Thr He Ala Ala Pro Ser Ser Ala Tyr Leu Leu Arg Gly Met Glu 530 535 540 Thr Met Ala Val Thr Gin Tyr Leu Asp Tyr Val Asn He Met Ser Tyr 545 550 555 560 Asp Leu His Gly Ala Trp Asn Asp His Val Gly His Asn Ala Ala Leu 565 570 575 Tyr Asp Thr Gly Lys Asp Ser Glu Leu Ala Gin Trp Asn Val Tyr Gly 580 585 590 Thr Ala Gin Tyr Gly Gly He Gly Tyr Leu Asn Thr Asp Trp Ala Phe 595 600 605 His Tyr Phe Arg Gly Ser Met Pro Ala Gly Arg He Asn He Gly Val 610 615 620 Pro Tyr Tyr Thr Arg Gly Trp Gin Gly Val Thr Gly Gly Asp Asn Gly 625 630 635 640 Leu Trp Gly Ala Arg Leu Ala Lys Ser Lys Arg Val Ser Asn Arg Tyr 645 650 655 Gly Glu Gly Glu Lys Asn Asn Cys Gly Tyr Gly Ala Thr Gly Leu Asp 660 665 670 Asn Met Trp His Asp Val Asn Ala Ala Gly Asp Glu Met Gly Ala Gly 675 680 685 Ser Asn Pro Met Trp His Ala Lys Asn Leu Glu His Gly He Trp Gly 690 695 700 Ser Tyr Leu Ala Val Tyr Gly Leu Asp Pro Thr Thr Ala Pro Leu Val 705 710 715 720 Gly Thr Tyr Ala Arg Asn Tyr Asp Ser Val Ala He Ala Pro Trp Leu 725 730 735 Trp Asn Ala Glu Lys Lys Val Phe Leu Ser Thr Glu Asp Lys Gin Ser 740 745 750 He Asp Val Lys Ala Asp Tyr Val He Asp Lys Glu He Gly Gly He 755 760 765 Met Phe Trp Glu Leu Ala Gly Asp Tyr Asn Cys Tyr Val Leu Asp Ala 770 775 780 Asn Gly Gin Arg Thr Ser He Asp Ser Thr Glu Gin Ala Cys Glu Ser 785 790 795 800 Gly Gin Gly Glu Tyr His Met Gly Asn Thr Met Thr Lys Ala He Tyr 805 810 815 Asp Lys Phe Lys Ala Ala Thr Pro Tyr Gly Asn Thr Val Ala Thr Gly 820 825 830 Ala Val Pro Ser Glu Thr Val Asp He Ala Val Ser He Gly Gly Phe 835 840 845 Lys Val Gly Asp Gin Asn Tyr Pro He Asn Pro Lys Val Thr Phe Thr 850 855 860 Asn Asn Thr Gly Val Asp He Pro Gly Gly Thr Ala Phe Gin Phe Asp 865 870 875 880 He Pro Val Ser Ala Pro Asp Asn Ala Lys Asp Gin Ser Gly Gly Gly 885 890 895 Leu Ser Val He Ala Ser Gly His Thr Arg Ala Asp Asn He Gly Gly 900 905 910 Leu Asp Gly Thr Met His Arg Val Ala Phe Ser Leu Pro Ala Trp Lys 915 920 925 Thr Leu Pro Ala Gly Asp Thr Tyr Glu Leu Asp Met Val Tyr Tyr Leu 930 935 940 Pro He Ser Gly Pro Ala Asn Tyr Ser Val Asn He Asn Gly Val Asp 945 950 955 960 Tyr Ala Phe Lys Phe Glu Gin Pro Asp Leu Pro Leu Ala Asp Leu Ser 965 970 975 Ser Gly Asn Gly Gly Gly Thr Gly Gly Gly Asp Thr Gly Gly Gly Thr 980 985 990 Thr Glu Pro Gly Asp Val Val Glu Trp Val Pro Gly Ser Thr Gin Val 995 1000 1005 Ser Asp Gly Thr Thr Val Thr Tyr Asn Gly Lys Cys Phe Val Ala Gin 1010 1015 1020 Asn Ser Pro Gly Val Trp Glu Ser Pro Thr Gin Thr Asn Trp Phe Trp 1025 1030 1035 1040 Glu Glu Val Thr Cys Pro 1045 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:3 : (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 3670 base pairs (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA (genomic) (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID Nθ:3: GGTGGTGGCA CCTCCTGCCG CGCGGTATTC GGCATGCGTC CGGCGTTTGA TTGGCGACAG 60 GACCGGCAGC GCCAACCTGT TGCTTGGCGT GGAACGCGAT GGACGCCGTC ATTCACGCCA 120 TCACCTTAGC TGCCGAACAA GGCGGCCTGA ATAACGATAA CTTTGGTCAA CTGCACGTGG 180 GCTTGGCGCT GGCTGGCGTG AGCACCAAGC GACTTGGCAT GCTTTATGCA ATTGCCACAC 240 CGTTTGCGTC GCTCACGCTC AATACCGATG CCTATGGTGC GTGCCTCGGT GCGCACCACG 300 GTGACAACGG CGCCATCATG ATTGCTGGCA CGGGCTCATG CGGTTTGTTC TTGCAAGACG 360 GCCACCAGCA CGTGGTGGGG GGACGTGAGT TCCCGATCTC CGATGAGGGC AGTGGCGCGG 420 TGATGGGACT GCGCCTGATT CAACAAGTGC TGCTGATTGA AGATGGTATT TATCCGGCCA 480 CGCCACTTAG TCAGTGTGTC ATGCAGCATT GACACGATGT GACGCCATTG TCGCTTGGTC 540 GAAATCCGCT TTACCTCGCG ACTATGGTCA ATTTTCGCCG CAGATTTTCG CGTTGGCGAA 600 TCAAGGTGAC ACGCTAGCAA TATCCCTGCT GAAACAGACA GCAGCGGATA TCGAAATGTT 660 TTTGAACGCC CTGCATCGCA AAGGGGCACA GCGAATCTGC TTCATGGGCA GCATCGCGGA 720 ACGCATTCAC GCATGGTTAT CCCCTCCCGT TCAGCAATGG ATCGTCGCAC CGCAAGCGGA 780 TGCGATGGAG GGCGCATTAA TGTTTGCCGG CAAAGCCGAG CATAATTTGT ATTAAGGGTT 840 GCTCATGAAC TATCGAATAG ACTTCGCGGT ATTGTCAGAA CATCCACAGT TCTGCCGTTT 900 TGGCTTGACG CTGCATAACC TCAGCGATCA GGACTTAAAG GCCTGGAGCC TGCATTTCAC 960 CATCGATCGC TACATTCAGC CCGATAGCAT CAGTCACAGC CAGATTCATC AAGTCGGCAG 1020 TTTCTGTTCG CTCACGCCGG AGCAGGACGT GATAAATTCC AACAGCCATT TCTACTGCGA 1080 ATTCAGCATC AAAACCGCGC CGTTTCCGTT TCACTATTAC ACCGACGGCA TCAAAGCCGC 1140 GTTTGTCCAA ATTAATGATG TAGAGCCGCG GGTTCGTCAC GACGTGATCG TCACCCCCAT 1200 CGCACTCGCC TCCCCCTATC GGGAACGCAG CGAGATCCCG GCCACGGATG CCGCGACGTT 1260 GAGCCTGTTA CCCAAACCCA ATCATATCGA ACGCTTGGAT GGTGAATTTG CCCTTACCGC 1320 CGGCAGCCAG ATTTCATTGC AATCCTCTTG TGCAGAAACT GCCGCCACGT GGCTCAAGCA 1380 AGAACTGACG CATCTCTATC AGTGGCAGCC ACACGATATT GGCAGCGCCG ACATTGTGCT 1440 ACGCACCAAC CCAACGCTGG ATGAAGGCGC CTATCTGCTG TCAGTCGACC GCAAACCTAT 1500 TCGTTTGGAA GCCAGCAGTC ACATCGGCTT TGTCCATGCC AGTGCGACAT TGCTGCAATT 1560 GGTTCGCCCA GATGGCGACA ACCTGCTGGT GCCACACATC GTTATCAAAG ACGCACCGCG 1620 CTTTAAATAC CGCGGCATGA TGCTGGATTG CGCGCGTCAT TTTCATCCGC TGGAGCGCGT 1680 TAAACGCCTC ATCAACCAAC TGGCGCATTA CAAATTCAAC ACCTTTCATT GGCATCTGAC 1740 CGATGATGAA GGTTGGCGCA TTGAAATTAA GTCTCTACCT CAATTGACCG ACATTGGCGC 1800 GTGGCGCGGT GTGGATGAAG TCCTGGAACC GCAATACAGC CTGCTGACCG AAAAACACGG 1860 TGGCTTTTAC ACCCAAGAGG AGATCCGTGA AGTGATCGCC TACGCCGCAG AACGCGGCAT 1920 CACGGTGATT CCAGAAATTG ACATTCCCGG TCACAGCCGA GCGGCGATCA AAGCCTTACC 1980 GGAATGGCTA TTTGACGAAG ATGACCAATC ACAATACCGC AGCATTCAGT ACTACAACGA 2040 CAACGTGCTA TCGCCAGCCC TGCCCGGCAC CTACCGTTTT CTCGATTGCG TATTGGAGGA 2100 AGTGGCCGCG CTGTTTCCGA GCCATTTCAT TCACATTGGC GCCGATGAAG TGCCAGATGG 2160 CGTGTGGGTC AACAGCCCGA AATGTCAGGC ATTGATGGCA GAAGAGGGCT ACACCGACGC 2220 CAAAGAGTTA CAAGGGCACC TGCTGCGCTA TGCGGAGAAG AAGCTCAAAT CACTCGGCAA 2280 ACGCATGGTC GGTTGGGAAG AAGCGCAGCA TGGTGACAAA GTCAGCAAAG ATACCGTGAT 2340 TTATTCTTGG TTATCCGAAC AAGCCGCACT GAACTGCGCC CGTCAAGGGT TTGATGTCAT 2400 TTTACAACCG GGACAGTTTA CGTACCTCGA CATTGCGCAA GACTACGCGC CAGAAGAGCC 2460 GGGCGTCGAC TGGGCTGGCG TGACGCCACT GGAGCGCGCC TATCGCTACG AGCCGCTGGT 2520 CGAGGTGCCA GAACACGACC CGCTGCGCAA ACGCATTTTG GGGATTCAGT GCGCGCTGTG 2580 GTGTGAACTG GTCAACAATC AAGACCGCAT GGACTACATG ATCTATCCGC GTTTGACCGC 2640 ACTGGCGGGA AGCGGCTTGG ACACAAAAAT CCCAGCGTGA TTGGCTGGAT TACCTGGCGC 2700 GCCTCAAAGG CCATTTACCC CAACTTGATC AACAAGGCAT CCGCTACCGG GCGCCTTGGA 2760 AAGCATAACG CAACACGTTT TCTCTAGCAT CGACATTGAG TGGCGCCAAT GCGCCACTGT 2820 TTAAAAAGGA AATTACCATG AAATACGGCT ATTTCGATAA CGACAATCGC GAATACGTCA 2880 TTACTCGTCC CGATGTTCCT GCACCTTGGA CCAACTACCT CGGCACGGAA AAATTCTGCA 2940 CCGTCATCTC CCATAATGCG GGGGGCTACT CGTTCTATCA CTCACCCGAG TACAACCGTG 3000 TGACCAAGTT CCGTCCGAAC TTCACACAAG ATCGTCCCGG GCATTACATC TATTTGCGCG 3060 ATGATGAAAC CGGTGATTTC TGGTCGGTCT CTTGGCAGCC CGTTGCCAAA AACCTTGACG 3120 ATGCCCATTA CGAAGTGCGC CATGGATGCC GTGTATGAGT ATCTGTTCTC CCCATACGGT 3180 TTACACCTCA ACGCCCCCTC GTTTGCAACG CCCAACGATG ACATCGGTTT TGTCACCCGC 3240 GTCTACCAAG GCGTGAAAGA AAACGGTGCG ATTTTCTCGC ATCCGAACCC GTGGGCATGG 3300 GTCGCCGAAG CCAAACTGGG ACGCGGTGAT CGCGCGATGG AATTCTACGA TTCGCTCAAC 3360 CCATACAACC AGAACGACAT CATTGAAACG CGCGTGGCAG AGCCATATTC CTACGTGCAA 3420 TTCATCATGG GTCGCGACCA CCAAGATCAC GGCCGTGCAA ACCACCCTTG GCTCACCGGT 3480 ACATCGGGCT GGGCCTACTA CGCGACCACC AACTTCATTT TGGGAGTGCG TACCGGATTT 3540 GACAGGTTGA CCGTGGATCC ATGTATTCCT GCCGCTTGGT CGGGCTTTGA GCGTCACGCG 3600 CGAGTGGCGC GGTGCGACGT ATCACATGTC AGTCCAAAAC CCGAATGGCG TCAGCAAAGG 3660 CGTGCAATCG 3670 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:4: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 611 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear ( ii ) MOLECULE TYPE : protein (xi ) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION : SEQ ID Nθ : 4 : Met Asn Tyr Arg He Asp Phe Ala Val Leu Ser Glu His Pro Gin Phe 1 5 10 15 Cys Arg Phe Gly Leu Thr Leu His Asn Leu Ser Asp Gin Asp Leu Lys 20 25 30 Ala Trp Ser Leu His Phe Thr He Asp Arg Tyr He Gin Pro Asp Ser 35 40 45 Ile Ser His Ser Gin He His Gin Val Gly Ser Phe Cys Ser Leu Thr 50 55 60 Pro Glu Gin Asp Val He Asn Ser Asn Ser His Phe Tyr Cys Glu Phe 65 70 75 80 Ser He Lys Thr Ala Pro Phe Pro Phe His Tyr Tyr Thr Asp Gly He 85 90 95 Lys Ala Ala Phe Val Gin He Asn Asp Val Glu Pro Arg Val Arg His 100 105 110 Asp Val He Val Thr Pro He Ala Leu Ala Ser Pro Tyr Arg Glu Arg 115 120 125 Ser Glu He Pro Ala Thr Asp Ala Ala Thr Leu Ser Leu Leu Pro Lys 130 135 140 Pro Asn His He Glu Arg Leu Asp Gly Glu Phe Ala Leu Thr Ala Gly 145 150 155 160 Ser Gin He Ser Leu Gin Ser Ser Cys Ala Glu Thr Ala Ala Thr Trp 165 170 175 Leu Lys Gin Glu Leu Thr His Leu Tyr Gin Trp Gin Pro His Asp He 180 185 190 Gly Ser Ala Asp He Val Leu Arg Thr Asn Pro Thr Leu Asp Glu Gly 195 200 205 Ala Tyr Leu Leu Ser Val Asp Arg Lys Pro He Arg Leu Glu Ala Ser 210 215 220 Ser His He Gly Phe Val His Ala Ser Ala Thr Leu Leu Gin Leu Val 225 230 235 240 Arg Pro Asp Gly Asp Asn Leu Leu Val Pro His He Val He Lys Asp 245 250 255 Ala Pro Arg Phe Lys Tyr Arg Gly Met Met Leu Asp Cys Ala Arg His 260 265 270 Phe His Pro Leu Glu Arg Val Lys Arg Leu He Asn Gin Leu Ala His 275 280 285 Tyr Lys Phe Asn Thr Phe His Trp His Leu Thr Asp Asp Glu Gly Trp 290 295 300 Arg He Glu He Lys Ser Leu Pro Gin Leu Thr Asp He Gly Ala Trp 305 310 315 320 Arg Gly Val Asp Glu Val Leu Glu Pro Gin Tyr Ser Leu Leu Thr Glu 325 330 335 Lys His Gly Gly Phe Tyr Thr Gin Glu Glu He Arg Glu Val He Ala 340 345 350 Tyr Ala Ala Glu Arg Gly He Thr Val He Pro Glu He Asp He Pro 355 360 365 Gly His Ser Arg Ala Ala He Lys Ala Leu Pro Glu Trp Leu Phe Asp 370 375 380 Glu Asp Asp Gin Ser Gin Tyr Arg Ser He Gin Tyr Tyr Asn Asp Asn 385 390 395 400 Val Leu Ser Pro Ala Leu Pro Gly Thr Tyr Arg Phe Leu Asp Cys Val 405 410 415 Leu Glu Glu Val Ala Ala Leu Phe Pro Ser His Phe He His He Gly 420 425 430 Ala Asp Glu Val Pro Asp Gly Val Trp Val Asn Ser Pro Lys Cys Gin 435 440 445 Ala Leu Met Ala Glu Glu Gly Tyr Thr Asp Ala Lys Glu Leu Gin Gly 450 455 460 His Leu Leu Arg Tyr Ala Glu Lys Lys Leu Lys Ser Leu Gy Lys Arg 465 470 475 480 Met Val Gly Trp Glu Glu Ala Gin His Gly Asp Lys Val Ser Lys Asp 485 490 495 Thr Val He Tyr Ser Trp Leu Ser Glu Gin Ala Ala Leu Asn Cys Ala 500 505 510 Arg Gin Gly Phe Asp Val He Leu Gin Pro Gly Gin Phe Thr Tyr Leu 515 520 525 Asp He Ala Gin Asp Tyr Ala Pro Glu Glu Pro Gly Val Asp Trp Ala 530 535 540 Gly Val Thr Pro Leu Glu Arg Ala Tyr Arg Tyr Glu Pro Leu Val Glu 545 550 555 560 Va] Pro Glu His Asp Pro Leu Arg Lys Arg He Leu Gly He Gin Cys 565 570 575 Ala Leu Trp Cys Glu Leu Val Asn Asn Gin Asp Arg Met Asp Tyr Met 580 585 590 He Tyr Pro Arg Leu Thr Ala Leu Ala Gly Ser Gly Leu Asp Thr Lys 595 600 605 He Pro Ala 610 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:5: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 1713 base pairs (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA (genomic) (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:5: GTACCCTCGA CGCCGTCCAT GCTGGTGCCG GACATGATGC CGATGTACAG TTCGCGTTCA 60 GTCATTCTGT TATCCGATTG TCATATTTCT CGTTTCCGAG GGCGAAGTCT TTAAAACTCA 120 TTGTAATTGA AAAACAAACT GAATAACCTC ATTTGCTGTG ACAAATTTTG ACAATCCACC 180 /25424 PCMJS96/02332 -76- GTGATGAATG AAGGGGAAAA CATGGGACCG TTATGGCTAG ACGTTGAAGG TTGTGAACTG 240 ACGGCGGAAG ACCGCGAAAT ACTGGCGCAT CCTACCGTTG GCGGTGTCAT TTTGTTTGCT 300 CGTAACTACC ACGACAACCA ACAATTATTG GCGCTGAACA CCGCCATTCG TCAGGCGGCG 360 AAGCGCCCGA TCCTGATTGG GGTGGATCAA GAAGGTGGCC GCGTGCAGCT TTCGCGACGG 420 GTTCAGCAAG ATCCCTGCGC GCAGCTTTAT GCGCGCAGCG ACAATGGTAC GCAGTTGGCC 480 GAAGACGGCG GCTGGTTGAT GGCGGCGGAA CTCATCGCAC ACGACATTGA TCTCAGCTTT 540 GCGCCCGTAT TGGATAAGGG TTTTGATTGC CGTGCAATTG GCAACCGCGC CTTTGGTGAC 600 GATGTGCAAA CCGTGTTGAC CTATAGCAGC GCCTATATGC GCGGCATGAA ATCTGTGGGG 660 ATGGCGACCA CCGGCAAACA CTTTCCCGGT CACGGTGCGG TGATTGCCGA CTCCCATCTG 720 GAAACGCCTT ACGATGAACG TGATTCGATT GCTGACGACA TGACGATTTT CCGCGCGCAG 780 ATTGAAGCGG GCATTTTGGA TGCCATGATG CCTGCGCACG TGATTTATCC GCACTATGAT 840 GCCCAGCCCG CCAGCGGCTC TCCGTATTGG CTGAAACAGG TTTTGCGTCA GGAACTGGGC 900 TTTCAAGGCA TCGTGTTCTC GGATGATTTG AGCATGGAAG GTGCGGCGAT CATGGGCGGC 960 CCGGCAGAGC GTGCGCAGCA GTCGCTGGAT GCCGGTTGCG ACATGGTGCT GATGTGCAAC 1020 AAGCGCGAAT CGGCAGTCGC GGTGTTGGAT CAGCTACCAA TCAGTGTGGT GCCGCAAGCG 1080 CAGTCGCTGC TGAAACAGCA ACAGTTCACC TACCGTGAAC TGAAAGCGAC TGAGCGTTGG 1140 AAGCAGGCGT ATCAAGCGCT GCAGCGTTTG ATTGACGCGC ACAGCTAACG GCACATTCGC 1200 GATCAAGAAA GGCTCCCATG GGAGCCTTTT GTCAATGCAG CGATTTTGCG GCCAACGGTT 1260 AGTGGAAGCC CAATTTCTCT TTTAGTTCTT TGAGGTAACG GCGACTGACG GGGACTTGAT 1320 GGCCGGAGCG GGTGATGATC TCCGCCAACC CGTTTTCCAA CAGTTTGATT TCTTTGATCG 1380 CTTTGGTGTT CACCAGATAC TGGCGATGGC AGCGCACCAA CGGCGTTTTC TCTTCCAAAA 1440 TTTTGAGCGT CAACTGGCTG GTGGCGCGTT GCTGATGGGT TTGTACGTGC ACGCCGCTGA 1500 TGTCGCTAAA CGCAAACTCC ACATCGACTG TCGGTACAAT CACAATGCGG TTCAGGCCAA 1560 TGCATGGCAC CTGATCCAGA TTATTTGGCG CTAGGGCGGA GTAGTCTTGC GTCTTGTTCA 1620 CGCTGCGCCC CAAGCGTTGG ATGGTTTTTT CCAACCTTGC CGGGTCAATC GGCTTGAGCA 1680 GGTAATCAAA CGCATTGTCT TCAAAGCCTT GCA 1713 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID Nθ:6: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 328 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:6: Met Gly Pro Leu Trp Leu Asp Val Glu Gly Cys Glu Leu Thr Ala Glu 1 5 10 15 Asp Arg Glu He Leu Ala His Pro Thr Val Gly Gly Val He Leu Phe 20 25 30 Ala Arg Asn Tyr His Asp Asn Gin Gin Leu Leu Ala Leu Asn Thr Ala 35 40 45 He Arg Gin Ala Ala Lys Arg Pro He Leu He Gly Val Asp Gin Glu 50 55 60 Gly Gly Arg Val Gin Leu Ser Arg Arg Val Gin Gin Asp Pro Cys Ala 65 70 75 80 Gin Leu Tyr Ala Arg Ser Asp Asn Gly Thr Gin Leu Ala Glu Asp Gly 85 90 95 Gly Trp Leu Met Ala Ala Glu Leu He Ala His Asp He Asp Leu Ser 100 105 110 Phe Ala Pro Val Leu Asp Lys Gly Phe Asp Cys Arg Ala He Gly Asn 115 120 125 Arg Ala Phe Gly Asp Asp Val Gin Thr Val Leu Thr Tyr Ser Ser Ala 130 135 140 Tyr Met Arg Gly Met Lys Ser Val Gly Met Ala Thr Thr Gly Lys His 145 150 155 160 Phe Pro Gly His Gly Ala Val He Ala Asp Ser His Leu Glu Thr Pro 165 170 175 Tyr Asp Glu Arg Asp Ser He Ala Asp Asp Met Thr He Phe Arg Ala 180 185 190 Gin He Glu Ala Gly He Leu Asp Ala Met Met Pro Ala His Val He 195 200 205 Tyr Pro His Tyr Asp Ala Gin Pro Ala Ser Gly Ser Pro Tyr Trp Leu 210 215 220 Lys Gin Val Leu Arg Gin Glu Leu Gly Phe Gin Gly He Val Phe Ser 225 230 235 240 Asp Asp Leu Ser Met Glu Gly Ala Ala He Met Gly Gly Pro Ala Glu 245 250 255 Arg Ala Gin Gin Ser Leu Asp Ala Gly Cys Asp Met Val Leu Met Cys 260 265 270 Asn Lys Arg Glu Ser Ala Val Ala Val Leu Asp Gin Leu Pro He Ser 275 280 285 Val Val Pro Gin Ala Gin Ser Leu Leu Lys Gin Gin Gin Phe Thr Tyr 290 295 300 Arg Glu Leu Lys Ala Thr Glu Arg Trp Lys Gin Ala Tyr Gin Ala Leu 305 310 315 320 Gin Arg Leu He Asp Ala His Ser 325 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:7: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 2951 base pairs (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA (genomic) (Xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:7: TGTTGTCTGC GTTACCTGTC CGGTCGCGTT GCCTTTTTCG TTGTTCATAC CAATAACGAA 60 ATAAGGAAGT TCAACTATGT TCAGTCCAAA ACATTCCCTG CTGGCATTGC TGGTCGGGGG 120 GCTCTGTTCT ACCTCCGCCC TCGCTGCCGC CCCCGGCAAA CCCACCATCG GCTGGGGTGA 180 AACCAAGTTC GCCATCATCC AGGTCGATCA GGCCGCCACC TCCTACAACA AGCTGGTCAC 240 TGTCCACAAG GACGGCGCCC CGGTCAGCGT GACCTGGAAC CTCTGGTCCG GCGATGTGGG 300 CCAGACCGCC AAGGTACTGC TCGATGGCAA GGAAGTCTGG TCCGGCGCCG CCAGTGCGGC 360 GGGCACCGCC AACTTCAAGG TCACCAAGGG TGGCCGCTAT CAGATGCAGG TGGCCCTGTG 420 CAACGCCGAC GGCTGCACCC TATCCGACAA GAAGGAGATA GTGGTGGCCG ACACGGACGG 480 CAGCCACCTG GCGCCGCTCA ATGCGCCCCT GCAAGAGAAC AACAAGCCTT ACACCAACAA 540 GGCCGGCAAG GTGGTCGGGG CCTACTACGT GGAGTGGGGC GTCTATGGCC GCAAGTTCAC 600 CGTGGACAAG ATCCCGGCCA AGAACCTGAC CCACATCCTC TATGGCTTCA CCCCCATCTG 660 TGGCGGTAAC GGCATCAACG ACAGCCTGAA AGAGATCTCA GGCAGCTTCG AGGCACTGCA 720 GCGCTCCTGC GCCGGCCGTG AGGACTTCAA GGTCTCCATC CATGATCCCT GGGCCGCGGT 780 CCAGATGGGG CAGGGCAATC TCACCGCCTT CGACGAGCCC TACAAGGGCA ACTTCGGCAA 840 CCTGATGGCG CTGAAGAAAG CCAACCCAAA CCTCAAGATC CTGCCTTCCG TGGGTGGCTG 900 GACCCTGTCC GACCCCTTCT ACTTCTTCAG TGACAAGACC AAGCGCGACA CCTTCGTCGC 960 CTCCATGAAG GAGTACCTGC AGACCTGGAA ATTCTTCGAT GGCGTGGACA TCGACTGGGA 1020 GTTCCCGGGT GGCCAGGGTG CCAACCCCAA TCTGGGTGGC CCGAACGATG GCGCCACCTA 1080 TGTGGCCCTG ATGAAAGAGC TGCGCGCCAT GCTGGACGAG CTGGAAGCCG AGACCGGCCG 1140 CCAGTATGAG CTCACCTCGG CCATCAGCGC CGGCGGCGAC AAGATTGCCA AGGTGGACTA 1200 TCAGGCTGCC CAGCAGTACA TGGATTACAT CTTCCTGATG AGCTACGACT TCAGCGGCGC 1260 CTTCGATCTG AAGAACCTGG CTCACCAGAC CAACCTCTAT GCATCAAGCT GGGATCCGGC 1320 CACCAAGTAC ACCACCGACA AGGGCGTCAA GGCGCTGCTC GGCCAGGGTG TGACTCCGGG 1380 CAAGGTCGTG GTCGGTGCGG CCATGTATGG CCGTGGCTGG ACCGGGGTCA ATGGCTATCA 1440 GGCCGGCAAC CCCTTCACCG GCAGTGCGAC CGGTCCCATC AAGGGCACCT GGGAGAATGG 1500 CGTGGTGGAT TACCGCGATA TCGTCAACAA CCGCATGGGC GCGGGCTGGG AGCAGGGCTA 1560 TGACGAAACG GCGGAAGCGC CTTACGTCTT CAAGGCGAGC ACCGGCGATC TCATCAGCTT 1620 CGACAACGAT CGCTCGGTCA AGGCCAAGGG GCAGTACGTG CTGGCCAACC AGCTCGGCGG 1680 CCTGTTCGCC TGGGAGATCG ATGCGGATAA CGGCGACATC TTGAACGCCA TGCACGAAGG 1740 GCTCGGCAAC GGGGACGGCG GCACCACGCC ACCGGTCAAC AAGCCGCCCG TGGCCAATGC 1800 AGGTAGCGAT CTGAGCGACA CAGGCCCGGC CGAGGTGACC CTCAACGGCG CCGCCTCCCA 1860 TGACCCCGAG AGCGGTGTGC TGAGCTACAG CTGGAAGCAG GTCTCTGGCC CGCAGGTCAG 1920 CCTGCTCGAT GCTACTCAGG CCAAGGCCCG GGTAGTGTTG GACGCCGTCA GCGCCGACAT 1980 CAACCTGGTG TTCGAGCTGA CCGTCACCGA CGATCACAAC CTCACGGCCA AGGATCAGGT 2040 GGTGGTGACC AACAAGGCGC CGCAGCCTAA CCTGCCGCCC GTAGTGACGG TACCGGCCAC 2100 CGCCAGCGTC GAATCCGGCA AGCAGGTGAC CATCAAGGCC ACCGCCTCCG ATCCGAACGG 2160 CGACGCCCTG ACCTATCAGT GGAGCCTGCC TGCGGGTCTC ACCGCCACCG GTCAGAACAG 2220 CGCGACCCTG GTAGTCACAG GCCCGAGCGT CACCAGCGAC ACCGCCTATG ACCTGAGCCT 2280 GGTGGTCACC GACGGCTCTC TGGATGCCAG TGCCGGCACC CGTCTGACCG TCAAACCGGC 2340 GAGCACTGGG GGTGGCTGTG AGGCAACCGA TCCGGATGCG GCCAACCACC CGGCCTGGAG 2400 CGCCAGCGCC GTCTACAACA CCAATGCCAA GGTGAGCCAC AAGCAGCTAG TGTGGCAAGC 2460 CAAGTATTGG ACCCAGGGCA ACGAGCCAAG CCAGACCGCG GATCAGTGGA AGCTGCTGAG 2520 TGCGGTGCAG CTCGGCTGGA ATGCCGGGGT GGCCTATAAC GCCGGCGACC TGACCAACCA 2580 CAACGGTCGC AAGTGGAAGG CCCAGTACTG GACCAAGGGT GACGAGCCCG GCAAGGCCGC 2640 CGTCTGGGTT GACCAGGGTG CTGCCAGCTG TAACTGAGTG ACATCATGAC CCAAGCAATG 2700 GGGCCCGGTG CCCCATTGCT TTCTCCACCC ACCTTCCCGA CCTGCCAGAT ATTCCCAATC 2760 TGCTATCAGA ACGTCGTACA TCAGCGCTAT GCGCACCGAG GATATTTTCA ATGCACCAAG 2820 ACAGCACGCA GTGGATGGGC AAACTCTCCA TCCTGGGGCT GGCGATCCTG AATATCAGCC 2880 CGCTGGCGAT GGCTCAACAG AGCAGCACGA CCGGCGAGTT TCGCAAAGAC AACAGCGCTC 2940 CCCAGATCCC C 2951 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 8: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 866 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 8: Met Phe Ser Pro Lys His Ser Leu Leu Ala Leu Leu Val Gly Gly Leu 1 5 10 15 Cys Ser Thr Ser Ala Leu Ala Ala Ala Pro Gly Lys Pro Thr He Gly 20 25 30 Trp Gly Glu Thr Lys Phe Ala He He Gin Val Asp Gin Ala Ala Thr 35 40 45 Ser Tyr Asn Lys Leu Val Thr Val His Lys Asp Gly Ala Pro Val Ser 50 55 60 Val Thr Trp Asn Leu Trp Ser Gly Asp Val Gly Gin Thr Ala Lys Val 65 70 75 80 Leu Leu Asp Gly Lys Glu Val Trp Ser Gly Ala Ala Ser Ala Ala Gly 85 90 95 Thr Ala Asn Phe Lys Val Thr Lys Gly Gly Arg Tyr Gin Met Gin Val 100 105 110 Ala Leu Cys Asn Ala Asp Gly Cys Thr Leu Ser Asp Lys Lys Glu He 115 120 125 Val Val Ala Asp Thr Asp Gly Ser His Leu Ala Pro Leu Asn Ala Pro 130 135 140 Leu Gin Glu Asn Asn Lys Pro Tyr Thr Asn Lys Ala Gly Lys Val Val 145 150 155 160 Gly Ala Tyr Tyr Val Glu Trp Gly Val Tyr Gly Arg Lys Phe Thr Val 165 170 175 Asp Lys He Pro Ala Lys Asn Leu Thr His He Leu Tyr Gly Phe Thr 180 185 190 Pro He Cys Gly Gly Asn Gly He Asn Asp Ser Leu Lys Glu He Ser 195 200 205 Gly Ser Phe Glu Ala Leu Gin Arg Ser Cys Ala Gly Arg Glu Asp Phe 210 215 220 Lys Val Ser He His Asp Pro Trp Ala Ala Val Gin Met Gly Gin Gly 225 230 235 240 Asn Leu Thr Ala Phe Asp Glu Pro Tyr Lys Gly Asn Phe Gly Asn Leu 245 250 255 Met Ala Leu Lys Lys Ala Asn Pro Asn Leu Lys He Leu Pro Ser Val 260 265 270 Gly Gly Trp Thr Leu Ser Asp Pro Phe Tyr Phe Phe Ser Asp Lys Thr 275 280 285 Lys Arg Asp Thr Phe Val Ala Ser Met Lys Glu Tyr Leu Gin Thr Trp 290 295 300 Lys Phe Phe Asp Gly Val Asp He Asp Trp Glu Phe Pro Gly Gly Gin 305 310 315 320 Gly Ala Asn Pro Asn Leu Gly Gly Pro Asn Asp Gly Ala Thr Tyr Val 325 330 335 Ala Leu Met Lys Glu Leu Arg Ala Met Leu Asp Glu Leu Glu Ala Glu 340 345 350 Thr Gly Arg Gin Tyr Glu Leu Thr Ser Ala He Ser Ala Gly Gly Asp 355 360 365 Lys He Ala Lys Val Asp Tyr Gin Ala Ala Gin Gin Tyr Met Asp Tyr 370 375 380 He Phe Leu Met Ser Tyr Asp Phe Ser Gly Ala Phe Asp Leu Lys Asn 385 390 395 400 Leu Ala His Gin Thr Asn Leu Tyr Ala Ser Ser Trp Asp Pro Ala Thr 405 410 415 Lys Tyr Thr Thr Asp Lys Gly Val Lys Ala Leu Leu Gly Gin Gly Val 420 425 430 Thr Pro Gly Lys Val Val Val Gly Ala Ala Met Tyr Gly Arg Gly Trp 435 440 445 Thr Gly Val Asn Gly Tyr Gin Ala Gly Asn Pro Phe Thr Gly Ser Ala 450 455 460 Thr Gly Pro He Lys Gly Thr Trp Glu Asn Gly Val Val Asp Tyr Arg 465 470 475 480 Asp He Val Asn Asn Arg Met Gly Ala Gly Trp Glu Gin Gly Tyr Asp 485 490 495 Glu Thr Ala Glu Ala Pro Tyr Val Phe Lys Ala Ser Thr Gly Asp Leu 500 505 510 He Ser Phe Asp Asn Asp Arg Ser Val Lys Ala Lys Gly Gin Tyr Val 515 520 525 Leu Ala Asn Gin Leu Gly Gly Leu Phe Ala Trp Glu He Asp Ala Asp 530 535 540 Asn Gly Asp He Leu Asn Ala Met His Glu Gly Leu Gly Asn Gly Asp 545 550 555 560 Gly Gly Thr Thr Pro Pro Val Asn Lys Pro Pro Val Ala Asn Ala Gly 565 570 575 Ser Asp Leu Ser Asp Thr Gly Pro Ala Glu Val Thr Leu Asn Gly Ala 580 585 590 Ala Ser His Asp Pro Glu Ser Gly Val Leu Ser Tyr Ser Trp Lys Gin 595 600 605 Val Ser Gly Pro Gin Val Ser Leu Leu Asp Ala Thr Gin Ala Lys Ala 610 615 620 Arg Val Val Leu Asp Ala Val Ser Ala Asp He Asn Leu Val Phe Glu 625 630 635 640 Leu Thr Val Thr Asp Asp His Asn Leu Thr Ala Lys Asp Gin Val Val 645 650 655 Val Thr Asn Lys Ala Pro Gin Pro Asn Leu Pro Pro Val Val Thr Val 660 665 670 Pro Ala Thr Ala Ser Val Glu Ser Gly Lys Gin Val Thr He Lys Ala 675 680 685 Thr Ala Ser Asp Pro Asn Gly Asp Ala Leu Thr Tyr Gin Trp Ser Leu 690 695 700 Pro Ala Gly Leu Thr Ala Thr Gly Gin Asn Ser Ala Thr Leu Val Val 705 710 715 720 Thr Gly Pro Ser Val Thr Ser Asp Thr Ala Tyr Asp Leu Ser Leu Val 725 730 735 Val Thr Asp Gly Ser Leu Asp Ala Ser Ala Gly Thr Arg Leu Thr Val 740 745 750 Lys Pro Ala Ser Thr Gly Gly Gly Cys Glu Ala Thr Asp Pro Asp Ala 755 760 765 Ala Asn His Pro Ala Trp Ser Ala Ser Ala Val Tyr Asn Thr Asn Ala 770 775 780 Lys Val Ser His Lys Gin Leu Val Trp Gin Ala Lys Tyr Trp Thr Gin 785 790 795 800 Gly Asn Glu Pro Ser Gin Thr Ala Asp Gin Trp Lys Leu Leu Ser Ala 805 810 815 Val Gin Leu Gly Trp Asn Ala Gly Val Ala Tyr Asn Ala Gly Asp Leu 820 825 830 Thr Asn His Asn Gly Arg Lys Trp Lys Ala Gin Tyr Trp Thr Lys Gly 835 840 845 Asp Glu Pro Gly Lys Ala Ala Val Trp Val Asp Gin Gly Ala Ala Ser 850 855 860 Cys Asn 865

Claims: CLAIMS : 1. Substantially purified end I polypeptide or enzymatic fragments thereof. 2. The polypeptide of claim 1, wherein end I is characterized as: a) a periplasmic chitodextrinase; b) an endoenzyme; and c) hydrolyzes soluble chitin oligosaccharides to produce (GlcNAc) 2 and/or (GlcNAc) 3 . 3. The polypeptide of claim 2, the polypeptide having an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:2. 4. An isolated polynucleotide encoding end I polypeptide characterized as: a) a periplasmic chitodextrinase; b) an endoenzyme; and c) hydrolyzes soluble chitin oligosaccharides to produce (GlcNAc) 2 and/or(GlcNAc) 3 . 5. The polynucleotide of claim 4, having a nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID N0-.1. 6. A recombinant expression vector which contains the polynucleotide of claim 4. 7. A host cell which contains the expression vector of claim 6. 8. Substantially purified exo I polypeptide or enzymatic fragments thereof. 9. The polypeptide of claim 8, wherein exo I is characterized as: a) a periplasmic -GlcNAcidase; b) an exoenzyme; and c) hydrolyzes soluble chitin oligosaccharides to produce (GlcNAc) and/or (GlcNAc) 2 . 10. The polypeptide of claim 9, the polypeptide having an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:4. 11. An isolated polynucleotide encoding exo I polypeptide characterized as: a) a periplasmic β-GlcNAcidase; b) an exoenzyme; and c) hydrolyzes soluble chitin oligosaccharides to produce (GlcNAc) and/or (GlcNAc) 2 - 12. The polynucleotide of claim 11, having a nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:3. 13. A recombinant expression vector which contains the polynucleotide of claim 11. 14. A host cell which contains the expression vector of claim 13. 15. Substantially purified exo II polypeptide or enzymatic fragments thereof. 16. The polypeptide of claim 15, wherein exo II is characterized as : a) an aryl β-N-acetylglucosaminidase; b) an exoenzyme; and c) a molecular weight of about 36 kDa by SDS-PAGE. 17. The polypeptide of claim 16, having an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 6. 18. An isolated polynucleotide encoding exo II polypeptide characterized as: a) an aryl β-N-acetylglucosaminidase; b) an exoenzyme; and c) a molecular weight of about 36 kDa by SDS-PAGE. 19. The polynucleotide of claim 18, having a nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:5. 20. A recombinant expression vector which contains the polynucleotide of claim 18. 21. A method for producing chitin oligosaccharides having a structure (GlcNAc) n , wherein n is selected from the group consisting of 2, 3, 4, or ≥5 , the method comprising contacting a soluble chitin oligosaccharide with an enzyme capable of hydrolyzing soluble chitin for a suitable time and under suitable conditions to produce the oligosaccharides and recovering the oligosaccharides. /25424 PCI7US96/02332 -86- 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the enzyme is selected from the group consisting of end I, exo I, and exo II. 23. Vibrio furnissii strain SR1545.15. 24. Vibrio furnissii strain SR1540.11. 25. Vibrio furnissii strain SR1550.304. 26. Vibrio furnissii strain SR1550.104 27. A method for the production of oligosaccharides from chitin, comprising the steps of: a) partially hydrolyzing chitin to yield a mixture of soluble oligomers; b) resolving said mixture with 1) a wild type microorganism, 2) a microorganism having a recombinant enzyme from the catabolic pathway of chitin, 3) a microorganism having a deletion mutation in a gene encoding an enzyme in the catabolic pathway of chitin, 4) an isolated enzyme from the catabolic pathway of chitin or 5) a combination thereof; and c) recovering said oligosaccharides. 28. The method of claim 27, wherein said hydrolyzing step is performed with a chemical selected from the group consisting of acid, lysozyme and chitinase. 29. The method of claim 27, wherein said resolving step is performed with a microorganism derived from a strain of Vibrio furnissii , having a deletion in a gene encoding an enzyme in the catabolic pathway of chitin, selected from the group consisting of SR1545.15, SR1540.11, SR1550.304, and SR1550.104. 30. TMOC 27, wherein the enzyme in part b)2) , b)3) and b)4) is selected from the group consisting of end I, exo I and exo II. 31. A method for the production of oligosaccharides from chitin, comprising the steps of: a) partially hydrolyzing chitin to yield a mixture of soluble oligomers; b) reacetylating said mixture; c) resolving said mixture with 1) a wild type microorganism, 2) a microorganism having a recombinant enzyme from the catabolic pathway of chitin, 3) a microorganism having a deletion mutation in a gene encoding an enzyme in the catabolic pathway of chitin, 4) an isolated enzyme from the catabolic pathway of chitin or 5) a combination thereof; and d) recovering said oligosaccharides. 32. The method of claim 31, wherein said hydrolyzing step is performed with a chemical selected from the group consisting of acid, lysozyme and chitinase. 33. The method of claim 31, wherein said resolving step is performed with a microorganism derived from a strain of Vibrio furnissii , having a deletion mutation in a gene encoding an enzyme in the catabolic pathway, selected from the group consisting of SR1545.15, SR1540.11, SR1550.304, and SR1550.104. 34. The method of claim 31, wherein the enzyme in part b)2), b)3) and b)4) is selected from the group consisting of end I, exo I and exo II.

Inventors: BASSLER BONNIE, CHITLARU EDITH, KEYHANI NEMAT, ROSEMAN SAUL, ROWE CHRIS, YU CHARLES, BASSLER, BONNIE, CHITLARU, EDITH, KEYHANI, NEMAT, ROSEMAN, SAUL, ROWE, CHRIS, YU, CHARLES
Applicants: UNIV JOHNS HOPKINS, THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
Application year: 1996
Main classification: C07H21
IPC codes: C12N1, C12N9, C12N15, C12P19