A　chitinase　with　antifungal　activity　was　isolated　from　mung　bean　(Phaseolus　mungo)　seeds.　The　procedure　entailed　aqueous　extraction,　(NH4)(2)SO4　precipitation,　ion-exchange　chromatography　on　CM-Sepharose,　high-performance　liquid　chromatography　(HPLC)　on　Poros　HS-20,　and　gel　filtration　on　Sephadex　G-75.　The　protein　exhibited　a　molecular　mass　of　30.8　kDa　in　SDS　polyacrylamide　gel　electrophoresis.　Its　pI　was　6.3　as　determined　by　isoelectric　focusing.　The　specific　activity　of　the　chitinase　was　estimated　to　be　3.81　U/mg.　The　enzyme　expressed　its　optimum　activity　at　pH　5.4　and　was　stable　from　40　to　50　degrees　C.　It　exerted　antifungal　action　toward　Fusarium　solani,　Fusarium　oxysporum,　Mycosphaerella　arachidicola,　Pythium　aphanidermatum,　and　Sclerotium　rolfsii.　(c)　2004　Elsevier　Inc.　All　rights　reserved.