<p>O-Glycosyl hydrolases <db_xref db="EC" dbkey="3.2.1."/> are a widespread group of enzymes that hydrolyse the glycosidic bond between two or more carbohydrates, or between a carbohydrate and a non-carbohydrate moiety. A classification system for glycosyl hydrolases, based on sequence similarity, has led to the definition of 85 different families [<cite idref="PUB00004870"/>, <cite idref="PUB00005266"/>]. This classification is available on the CAZy (CArbohydrate-Active EnZymes) web site.</p><p>Glycoside hydrolase family 19 <db_xref db="CAZY" dbkey="GH19"/> comprises enzymes with only one known activity; chitinase (<db_xref db="EC" dbkey="3.2.1.14"/>).</p><p>Chitinases [<cite idref="PUB00001488"/>] are enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of the beta-1,4-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine linkages in chitin polymers. Chitinases belong to glycoside hydrolase families 18 or 19 [<cite idref="PUB00000503"/>]. Chitinases of family 19 (also known as classes IA or I and IB or II) are enzymes from plants that function in the defence against fungal and insect pathogens by destroying their chitin-containing cell wall. Class IA/I and IB/II enzymes differ in the presence (IA/I) or absence (IB/II) of a N-terminal chitin-binding domain. The catalytic domain of these enzymes consist of about 220 to 230 amino acid residues.</p> Glycoside hydrolase, family 19