Novel enzymes for the degradation of cellulose

• Published in: Biotechnology for biofuels Vol. 5; no. 1; p. 45
• Main Authors: Horn, Svein Jarle, Vaaje-Kolstad, Gustav, Westereng, Bjørge, Eijsink, Vincent GH
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Springer-Verlag 02.07.2012; BioMed Central Ltd; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Aldonic acid; Algae; Alternative energy sources; Biodiesel fuels; Bioeconomy; Bioethanol; Biofuel; Biomass; Biomass energy; Biorefineries; Biorefinery; CBM33; Cellulase; cellulases; Cellulose; Chemical properties; Enzymes; Food; GH61; Hydrolysis; Life sciences; Lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase; Methods; Physiological aspects; Production processes; Review; Saccharides; Technological change; Technology application; Norway
• ISSN: 1754-6834; 1754-6834; 2731-3654
• DOI: 10.1186/1754-6834-5-45

The bulk terrestrial biomass resource in a future bio-economy will be lignocellulosic biomass, which is recalcitrant and challenging to process. Enzymatic conversion of polysaccharides in the lignocellulosic biomass will be a key technology in future biorefineries and this technology is currently the subject of intensive research. We describe recent developments in enzyme technology for conversion of cellulose, the most abundant, homogeneous and recalcitrant polysaccharide in lignocellulosic biomass. In particular, we focus on a recently discovered new type of enzymes currently classified as CBM33 and GH61 that catalyze oxidative cleavage of polysaccharides. These enzymes promote the efficiency of classical hydrolytic enzymes (cellulases) by acting on the surfaces of the insoluble substrate, where they introduce chain breaks in the polysaccharide chains, without the need of first “extracting” these chains from their crystalline matrix.