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Chitosan is generally known as a component contained in crabs. Chitosan is a component of chitin that is found in the shells of crustaceans such as crabs and shrimps, squid cartilage, shells and skeletons of shellfish, the skin of insects, mold, mushrooms, and the cell walls of microorganisms, with the acetyl group removed. Chitin is an amino polysaccharide in which N-acetyl-D-glucosamine sugars are linked, and chitosan is an amino polysaccharide in which D-glucosamine is linked from chitin with the acetyl group removed. Chitin and chitosan are collectively called chitin. Chitin circulates on Earth through biosynthesis and biodegradation in the soil, hydrosphere, and biosphere, and it has been found to be deeply involved in the conservation of ecosystems. Chitosan is the only polysaccharide (dietary fiber) that has positive ions among natural products, and is a unique material that has been effectively used in fields such as medicine, cosmetics, food, agriculture, and livestock farming in recent years.
Chitin is an ecosystem preserving agent
Plant immunity and soil environment
Plants do not contain chitin or chitosan, but they secrete an enzyme called chitinase that dissolves chitin. Insects and microorganisms use chitinase to recycle the chitin in their bodies, but why do plants that do not have chitin secrete chitinase? This was a mystery for a long time. Subsequent research has revealed that chitinase is deeply involved in the plant's biological defense, or plant immunity.
The relationship between chitin and microorganisms
一般にカビと呼ばれる糸状菌の細胞壁の多くには、キチン質が含まれています。また、昆虫の外皮や消化系にもキチン質が含まれており、そのキチン質は、放線菌やバチルス菌などのキチン分解酵素キチナーゼにより分解されてエサとして利用されます。つまり、土壌の生態系には常に豊富なキチン質が循環し、キチン質をもつ微生物と持たない微生物が互いに拮抗しながらバランスを取っている関係がある訳です。
Chitosan/functional polysaccharides
Chitosan is the only natural polysaccharide (dietary fiber) that has positive ions, and is a material that has been confirmed to have many functions. Chitosan oligosaccharides and glucosamine made from chitosan, and chitin oligosaccharides and N-acetylglucosamine made from chitin are unique materials that have been effectively used in the fields of medicine, cosmetics, food, agriculture, livestock, and industry in recent years.
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