Chitin is a long polymer of N-acetylglucosamine which is a glucose derivative. The units of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (2-(acetylamino-2- deoxy-D-glucose)) are synthesized to form chitin. Chitin is an important source of carbon and nitrogen for marine organisms. It is one of the most abundantly renewable polymers in nature.
- Chitin can only be degraded by the chitinolytic bacteria.
- This is the key step of recycling nutrients back to the oceans. Instead of a hydroxyl group, there is an amyl group attached to the glucose molecule