CHT4 — Aspergillus fumigatus

Summary

AFU8G01410 (CHT4, chiB1) in Aspergillus fumigatus encodes a chitinase B1, a member of the glycosyl hydrolase 18 family with chitinase activity, chitin binding, and transglycosidase activity. The gene is associated with chitin and polysaccharide breakdown, fumagillin anabolism, protein secretion, and extracellular localisation. Phenotypic associations include altered endocytosis, increased alkaline pH resistance, decreased shmoo formation, reduced chitin deposition, abnormal budding and sporulation, increased biofilm formation and protein secretion, decreased ionic stress and hydrostatic pressure resistance, increased starvation and metal resistance, and abnormal cell cycle progression in G2 phase. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to abnormal vegetative growth and decreased sporulation efficiency.