Cellulase Essay

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Cellulases are o- glycosyl hydrolases (GHs) that hydrolyse β-1,4 glucosidic bonds in cellulose. Cellulase system is grouped into “glycoside hydrolases (GH) family” classified by different means, according to their substrate specifities, reaction, mechanisms or structural similarities. The cellulase complex is found to contain three basic components which may be present either as single polypeptide or can be grouped together into multienzyme complex known as cellulosome. Cellulase system is composed of three main classes based on their activity toward a wide range of substrates. This is rather difficult, since the enzymes have overlapping specificities toward substrates which themselves are poorly defined. The three main classes are:
a) Endoglucanases (endo-1, 4- β- glucanases or 1, 4- β-D-glucan 4-glucanohydrolases EC 3.2.1.4) hydrolyze cellulose chains at random positions in less crystal regions, to generate principally short chain oligosaccharides producing free ends with a rapid change in degree of polymerization. The substrates are amorphous cellulose, such as carboxymethylcellulose, H3PO4 or alkali-swollen cellulose, instead of crystalline cellulose.

b) Exoglucanases or cellobiohydrolases (exo-1, 4- β- glucanases or 1, 4- β-D glucan cellobiohydrolases EC 3.2.1.19) produce cellobiose by attacking free chain ends. They are thought to work processively, that is, one enzyme molecule can release several cellobiose units from the cellulose chain without leaving the substrate.

c) β- glucosidases or cellobiases (β- D glucoside glucohydrolases, EC 3.2.1.21)are very important components of the cellulase system in that they complete the hydrolysis to glucose of short-chain oligosaccharides and cellobiose which are released by the ot...

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...id, acetic acid, formic acid, H₂ and CO₂ as fermentation products which increases ecological, industrial and basic bioenergetics interests in this particularly thermophilic bacterial specie.
Thermophiles produce number of enzymes e.g. cellulases, xylanases, mannases etc which have many applications in various industrial processes including food, detergents, textile, paper, tanneries and biorefining sectors. However, usage of cellulases in industries faces a major setback due to high production cost and low enzymatic activity. This has encouraged investigation of novel cellulase from thermophiles with minimum cost and improved activity.
With the aim of prospecting for new cellulolytic enzymes more suitable for industrial needs, we described here the cloning and high level expression of the novel β-glucosidase BglB, of Clostridium thermocellum in Escherichia coli.

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