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A Coarse-Grained Model For Synergistic Action Of Multiple Enzymes On Cellulose, Andrea Asztalos, Marcus Daniels, Anurag Sethi, Tongye Shen, Paul Langan, Antonio Redondo, Sandrasegaram Gnanakaran

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology

Background

Degradation of cellulose to glucose requires the cooperative action of three classes of enzymes, collectively known as cellulases. Endoglucanases randomly bind to cellulose surfaces and generate new chain ends by hydrolyzing β-1,4-D-glycosidic bonds. Exoglucanases bind to free chain ends and hydrolyze glycosidic bonds in a processive manner releasing cellobiose units. Then, β-glucosidases hydrolyze soluble cellobiose to glucose. Optimal synergistic action of these enzymes is essential for efficient digestion of cellulose. Experiments show that as hydrolysis proceeds and the cellulose substrate becomes more heterogeneous, the overall degradation slows down. As catalysis occurs on the surface of crystalline cellulose, several factors …