对广州地区常见的21科41种（变种）植物叶片几丁质酶系研究的结果表明,所有受试植物都具有几丁质酶活性。几丁质酶不仅存在于被子植物的双子叶植物和单子叶植物中,而且也存在于裸子植物及蕨类植物中。几丁质酶活性及比活性均较高的有蕹菜、葱、蕨类植物、蒜、茄科植物、玉米、菜豆、番木瓜等。植物一般都具有两种几丁质酶:外切酶和内切酶。几丁质外切酶活性及比活性均较高的有蕨类植物、葱、茄科植物等。几丁质内切酶活性及比活性均较高的有蕹菜、裸子植物等。不同植物几丁质外切酶与内切酶的比例相差较大。有些植物的几丁质酶系以外切酶为主,如茄科植物、大部分豆科植物、番木瓜等;有些植物以内切酶为主,如裸子植物、伞形科植物、蕹菜等;有些植物的外切酶与内切酶含量相差不大。

This paper presented studies on the chitinase system in leaves from 41 plant species (var.) related to 21 families. The results obtained indicated that all the plants examined possessed chitinase activity. Chitinase was present not only in angiosperms (dicotyledons and monocotyledons), but also in gymnosperms and ferns. A higher chitinase activity with a higher chitinase specific activity was found in Ipomoea aquatica, Allium fistulosum ,the ferns, Allium sativum, the plants of Solanaceae , Zea may . Phaseolus vulgaris,Carica papaya, etc. Both kinds of chitinases: exochitinase and endochitinase were detected in the same plant. A higher exochitinase activity with a higher exochitinase specific activity was found in the ferns, Alliumn fistulosum, the plants of Solanaceae ,etc. ; and a higher endochitinase activity with a higher endochitinase specific activity was found in Ipomoea aquatica, the gymnosperms, etc. Plants differed greatly from one to another in the ratio between exochitinase activity and endochitinase activity, some plants showed a much higher activity of endochitinase than that of exochitinase; and some plants, an activity of exochitinase similar to that of endochitinase.