Endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidases are bacterial chitinases that hydrolyze the chitin core of various asparagine (N)-linked glycans and glycoproteins. The endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidases have a glycosyl hydrolase family 18 (GH18) catalytic domain. Some members also have an additional C-terminal glycosyl hydrolase family 20 (GH20) domain while others have an N-terminal domain of unknown function (pfam08522). Members of this family include endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase S (EndoS) from Streptococcus pyogenes, EndoF1, EndoF2, EndoF3, and EndoH from Flavobacterium meningosepticum, and EndoE from Enterococcus faecalis. EndoS is a secreted endoglycosidase from Streptococcus pyogenes that specifically hydrolyzes the glycan on human IgG between two core N-acetylglucosamine residues. EndoE is a secreted endoglycosidase, encoded by the ndoE gene in Enterococcus faecalis, that hydrolyzes the glycan on human RNase B.

GH18 domain of Chitinase D (ChiD). ChiD, a chitinase found in Bacillus circulans, hydrolyzes the 1,4-beta-linkages of N-acetylglucosamine in chitin and chitodextrins. The domain architecture of ChiD includes a catalytic glycosyl hydrolase family 18 (GH18) domain, a chitin-binding domain, and a fibronectin type III domain. The chitin-binding and fibronectin type III domains are located either N-terminal or C-terminal to the catalytic domain. This family includes exochitinase Chi36 from Bacillus cereus.

The GH18 (glycosyl hydrolase, family 18) type II chitinases hydrolyze chitin, an abundant polymer of beta-1,4-linked N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) which is a major component of the cell wall of fungi and the exoskeleton of arthropods. Chitinases have been identified in viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoan parasites, insects, and plants. The structure of the GH18 domain is an eight-stranded beta/alpha barrel with a pronounced active-site cleft at the C-terminal end of the beta-barrel. The GH18 family includes chitotriosidase, chitobiase, hevamine, zymocin-alpha, narbonin, SI-CLP (stabilin-1 interacting chitinase-like protein), IDGF (imaginal disc growth factor), CFLE (cortical fragment-lytic enzyme) spore hydrolase, the type III and type V plant chitinases, the endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidases, and the chitolectins. The GH85 (glycosyl hydrolase, family 85) ENGases (endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidases) are closely related to the GH18 chitinases and are included in this alignment model.

Glycosyl hydrolases family 18.

Narbonin is a plant 2S protein from the globulin fraction of narbon bean (Vicia narbonensis L.) cotyledons with unknown function. Narbonin has a glycosyl hydrolase family 18 (GH18) domain without the conserved catalytic residues and with no known enzymatic activity. Narbonin amounts to up to 3% of the total seed globulins of mature seeds and was thought to be a storage protein but was found to degrade too slowly during germination. This family also includes the VfNOD32 nodulin from Vicia faba.