A 49-kDa chitinase (pI7.3) was purified to homogeneity from the culture supernatant of Streptomyces griseus HUT 6037 by ultrafiltration, DEAE-Sephadex A-50 and Sephadex G-100 column chromatographies, and chromatofocusing. The purified enzyme was stable up to 40 degrees C. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the enzyme was highly homologous to the N-terminal region of the fibronectin type III-like domain of S. olivaceoviridis chitinase 01 belonging to family 18 glycosyl hydrolases. The 49-kDa chitinase hydrolyzed partially N-acetylated chitosan more easily than colloidal chitin, The hydrolyzate of 54% deacetylated chitosan by the enzyme was separated by CM-Sephadex C-25 column chromatography. The structures of the oligosaccharides obtained were determined by MALDI-TOF MS analysis combined with exo-glycosidase digestion. In addition to GlcNAc, (GlcNAc)(2), and (GlcNAc)(3), hetero-chitooligosaccharides with GlcNAc at the reducing end were detected. Thus, the specificity of the enzyme for the hydrolysis of the beta-1,4-glycosidic linkages in partially N-acetylated chitosan was similar to that of the family 18 chitinases.