CHITIN BEADS, CHITOSAN BEADS, PROCESS FOR PREPARING THESE BEADS, CARRIER COMPRISING SAID BEADS, AND PROCESS FOR PREPARING MICROSPORIDIAN SPORE

摘要

Chitin beads having a uniform fine particle diameter and comprising a microsporidian spore whose main cell wall material is chitin; chitosan beads having a uniform fine particle diameter and prepared by N-deacetylating the chitin; a process for preparing the beads; a carrier comprising the beads; and a process for preparing a microsporidian spore. A microsporidian spore is propagated in an insect or a culture cell to prepare chitin beads having a uniform fine particle diameter and containing chitin as the main cell wall material. The chitin as the cell wall material is N-deacetylated to prepare chitosan beads. When the insect is the larva of a domesticated silkworm, the microsporidian spore is orally or percutaneously inoculated in a concentration of 5 x 102 to 5 x 108/ml into the larva of a second-instar exuviated domesticated silkworm to effect propagation. The propagated microsporidian spore is taken out of the grown fifth-instar larva body and purified to prepare chitin beads having a uniform fine particle diameter and chitosan beads are prepared therefrom in the same manner as that described above. These beads are used as a carrier for immobilizing or encapsulating various materials such as antibiotics and microorganisms.