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Full-Text Articles in Molecular Genetics
Functional Analysis Of A Putative Membrane-Bound Endo-Β-1,4-Glucanase From Panicum Virgatum, Joshua N Grant, Jonathan D. Willis, Neal Stewart
Functional Analysis Of A Putative Membrane-Bound Endo-Β-1,4-Glucanase From Panicum Virgatum, Joshua N Grant, Jonathan D. Willis, Neal Stewart
EURēCA: Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement
Cellulose is the most abundant carbohydrate in the world and is degraded by the synergistic action of multiple enzymes. One large family of enzymes capable of hydrolyzing cellulose is glycoside hydrolase family 9 (GH9), which includes several endoglucanases. Recent research into the molecular biology of plants has revealed certain genes coding for endo-β-1,4-glucanases (EGases). The EGases in plants are primarily functional during cell elongation through wall stress relaxation. GH9 enzymes have been found in insects, bacteria, oomycetes, and fungi. In insects, EGases enable the organism to digest cellulose; in fungi, EGases are suspected to play an important role in obtaining …