Characterization of acid catalytic domains for cellulose hydrolysis and glucose degradation

• Published in: Biotechnology and bioengineering Vol. 79; no. 6; pp. 610 - 618
• Main Authors: Mosier, Nathan S., Ladisch, Christine M., Ladisch, Michael R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 20.09.2002; Wiley
• Subjects: acid hydrolysis; Acids; Biodegradation, Environmental; Biological and medical sciences; Biotechnology; carboxylic acid; Carboxylic Acids - pharmacology; Catalysis; Cellobiose - metabolism; Cellulose - metabolism; cellulose hydrolysis; Chemical industry. Chemical engineering; Computer Simulation; corn fiber; fuel ethanol; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Glucose - metabolism; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Hydrolysis; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; maleic acid; Models, Chemical; Reproducibility of Results; Seeds - drug effects; Seeds - metabolism; Sensitivity and Specificity; Sulfuric Acids - pharmacology; Temperature; Zea mays - drug effects; Zea mays - metabolism; Hydrolysis; Ethanol; Carboxylic acid; Cellobiose; Cellulose; Maleic acid; Plant fiber; Corn; Kinetics; Catalysis; Glucose; Sulfuric acid
• ISSN: 0006-3592; 1097-0290
• DOI: 10.1002/bit.10316

Cellulolytic enzymes consist of a catalytic domain, a linking peptide, and a binding domain. The paper describes research on carboxylic acids that have potential as catalytic domains for constructing organic macromolecules for use in cellulose hydrolysis that mimic the action of enzymes. The tested domains consist of the series of mono‐, di‐, and tricarboxylic acids with a range of pKa's. This paper systematically characterizes the acids with respect to hydrolysis of cellobiose, cellulose in biomass, and degradation of glucose and compares these kinetics data to dilute sulfuric acid. Results show that acid catalyzed hydrolysis is proportional to H+ concentration. The tested carboxylic acids did not catalyze the degradation of glucose while sulfuric acid catalyzed the degradation of glucose above that of water alone. Consequently, overall yields of glucose obtained from cellobiose and cellulose are higher for the best carboxylic acid tested, maleic acid, when compared to sulfuric acid at equivalent solution pH. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biotechnol Bioeng 79: 610–618, 2002.