Chitin valorisation via enzymatic deacetylation

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Chitin is a linear homopolymer characterised by -(1,4)-linked N-acetyl-D-glucosamine residues (Fig. 1). It is the most naturally occurring polysaccharide after cellulose and is fundamental to exoskeletal rigidity in arthropods and cell wall biogenesis in many fungal and yeast species. In the solid state, industrial applications of chitin are limited due to its microfibril crystalline structures making it insoluble in most solvents; thus, its deacetylated counterpart, chitosan, has generated renewed interest within areas of industrial biotechnology and biomedical research as a biodegradable, antimicrobial, non-toxic and tractable biomaterial. Our aims are to identify, then apply, chitin deacetylases (CDAs) as versatile biocatalysts for the greener conversion of shell-derived chitin into high value chitosan.