Carbohydrate-binding modules: fine-tuning polysaccharide recognition

• Published in: Biochemical journal Vol. 382; no. Pt 3; pp. 769 - 781
• Main Authors: Boraston, Alisdair B, Bolam, David N, Gilbert, Harry J, Davies, Gideon J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Portland Press Ltd 15.09.2004
• Subjects: Binding Sites; Carrier Proteins - chemistry; Carrier Proteins - metabolism; Glycoside Hydrolases - chemistry; Ligands; Models, Molecular; Polysaccharides - metabolism; Protein Structure, Secondary; Protein Structure, Tertiary; Review

The enzymic degradation of insoluble polysaccharides is one of the most important reactions on earth. Despite this, glycoside hydrolases attack such polysaccharides relatively inefficiently as their target glycosidic bonds are often inaccessible to the active site of the appropriate enzymes. In orde...