A　chitinase　with　antifungal　activity　was　isolated　from　mung　bean　(Phaseolus　mungo)　seeds.　The　procedure　entailed　aqueous　extraction,　(NH4)　2SO4　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°C.　It　exerted　antifungal　action　toward　Fusarium　solani,　Fusarium　oxysporum,　Mycosphaerella　arachidicola,　Pythium　aphanidermatum,　and　Sclerotium　rolfsii.　©　2004　Elsevier　Inc.　All　rights　reserved.