A metalloprotease (MprIII) involved in the chitinolytic system of a marine bacterium, Alteromonas sp. strain O-7.

Alteromonas sp. strain O-7 secretes several proteins in addition to chitinolytic enzymes in response to chitin induction. In this paper, we report that one of these proteins, designated MprIII, is a metalloprotease involved in the chitin degradation system of the strain.