Chitin, the crystalline polymer of N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) is the world’s second most abundant carbohydrate and principal structural component of cell wall of fungi, yeasts and algae, insect exoskeletons, shells of crustaceans and the microfilarial sheath of nematodes. GlcNAc is present in peptidoglycan, hyaluronic acid and keratin sulfate. In nature, chitin rich waste biomass get re-utilized by an array of microbes producing chitinases and proteases, but the presence of the microbes as well as activity of the enzymes depend on the abundance of the bioresource. Chitin polymer, chito-oligomers and GlcNAc have engrossed colossal attention due to their innumerable potential applications in food, biomedicine, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, cosmetics and environmental cleanup. Owing their immense and versatile appliances, extraction of chitin and production of chito-oligomers and GlcNAc in large scale is necessary to meet the market demand. In this context, chemical extraction/degradation of crustacean shell at elevated temperature is the traditional practice results in the formation of undesired byproducts, creates large quantities of toxic waste as well as associated with high cost, low yield and also deteriorates environmental health. In this perspective, microbial biotransformation and enzymatic treatment are alternative environment friendly ‘green technology’ for generation of chitin, chito-oligomers and GlcNAc in large scale in economical way by valorizing natural chitinous bioresources using potential organic acid, chitinase and protease producing microbes. Moreover, genetic manipulation and metabolic engineering was implemented in recent ages. Altogether, in the present assignment, cutting edge strategies of bioextraction of chitin and production of chito-oligomers and GlcNAc by microbial means as well as their multifaceted appliances in biological and biomedical sector are thoroughly discussed.

Streptomyces thermoviolaceus NT1, an endophytic isolate, was studied for optimization of granaticinic acid production. It is an antimicrobial metabolite active against even drug resistant bacteria. Different media, optimum glucose concentration, initial media pH, incubation temperature, incubation period, and inoculum size were among the selected parameters optimized in the one-variable-at-a-time (OVAT) approach, where glucose concentration, pH, and temperature were found to play a critical role in antibiotic production by this strain. Finally, the Box–Behnken experimental design (BBD) was employed with three key factors (selected after OVAT studies) for response surface methodological (RSM) analysis of this optimization study.RSM analysis revealed a multifactorial combination; glucose 0.38%, pH 7.02, and temperature 36.53 °C as the optimum conditions for maximum antimicrobial yield. Experimental verification of model analysis led to 3.30-fold (61.35 mg/L as compared to 18.64 mg/L produced in un-optimized condition) enhanced granaticinic acid production in ISP2 medium with 5% inoculum and a suitable incubation period of 10 days. So, the conjugated optimization study for maximum antibiotic production from Streptomyces thermoviolaceus NT1 was found to result in significantly higher yield, which might be exploited in industrial applications.