High expression of acidic chitinase and chitin digestibility in the stomach of common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus), an insectivorous nonhuman primate

Chitin is a polymer of N -acetyl-D-glucosamine (GlcNAc) and a main constituent of insects’ exoskeleton. Insects are rich in protein with high energy conversion efficiency. Recently, we have reported that acidic chitinases (Chia) act as digestive enzymes in mouse, pig and chicken (omnivorous) but not in dog (carnivorous) and bovine (herbivorous), indicating that feeding behavior affects Chia expression levels, and determines chitin digestibility...