Design of highly efficient cellulase mixtures for enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose.

An extremely highly active cellobiohydrolase (CBH IIb or Cel6B) was isolated from Chrysosporium lucknowense UV18-25 culture filtrate. The CBH IIb demonstrated the highest ability for a deep degradation of crystalline cellulose amongst a few cellobiohydrolases tested, including C. lucknowense CBH Ia, Ib, IIa, and Trichoderma reesei CBH I and II. Using purified C. lucknowense enzymes (CBH Ia, Ib, and IIb; endoglucanases II and V; beta-glucosidase, xylanase II), artificial multienzyme mixtures were reconstituted, displaying an extremely high performance in a conversion of different cellulosic substrates (Avicel, cotton, pretreated Douglas fir wood) to glucose. These mixtures were much or notably more effective in hydrolysis of the cellulosic substrates than the crude multienzyme C. lucknowense preparation and other crude cellulase samples produced by T. reesei and Penicillium verruculosum. Highly active cellulases are a key factor in bioconversion of plant lignocellulosic biomass to ethanol as an alternative to fossil fuels. (c) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.