Genomics, Proteomics, and Antifungal Activity of Chitinase from the Antarctic Marine Bacterium Curtobacterium sp. CBMAI 2942

This study aimed to evaluate the genomic profile of the Antarctic marine <i>Curtobacterium</i> sp. CBMAI 2942, as well as to optimize the conditions for chitinase production and antifungal potential for biological control. Assembly and annotation of the genome confirmed the genomic potential for chitinase synthesis, revealing two ChBDs of chitin binding (Chi C). The optimization enzyme production using an experimental design resulted in a 3.7-fold increase in chitinase production. The chitinase enzyme was identified by SDS-PAGE and confirmed through mass spectrometry analysis. The enzymatic extract obtained using acetone showed antifungal activity against the phytopathogenic fungus <i>Aspergillus</i> sp. series <i>Nigri</i> CBMAI 1846. The genetic capability of <i>Curtobacterium</i> sp. CBMAI 2942 for chitin degradation was confirmed through genomic analysis. The basal culture medium was adjusted, and the chitinase produced by this isolate from Antarctica showed significant inhibition against <i>Aspergillus</i> sp. <i>Nigri</i> series CBMAI 1846, which is a tomato phytopathogenic fungus. This suggests that this marine bacterium could potentially be used as a biological control of agricultural pests.