Engineering cellulase mixtures by varying the mole fraction of Thermomonospora fusca E5 and E3, Trichoderma reesei CBHI, and Caldocellum saccharolyticum beta-glucosidase.

In this study, different mole fractions of pure Thermomonospora fusca E(5) and E(3), plus Trichoderma reesei CBHI were studied for reducing sugar production at 2 h, degree of synergism, and cellulose binding. In addition, the effects of introducing the Caldocellum saccharolyticum beta-glucosidase into this cellulase system were investigated. The cellulases used were purified to homogeneity. Avicel PH 102 (4% w/w solution in 0.05 sodium acetate pH 5.5 buffer) was the substrate. Reactions were run at 50 degrees C for 2 h using total cellulase concentrations of 8.3 or 12.2 microM. A bimixture of T. fusca E(3) and T. reesei CBHI was very effective in hydrolyzing microcrystalline cellulose (9.1% conversion). The addition of endoglucanase E(5) to the mixture only increased conversion to 9.8%. However, when both E(5) and beta-glucosidase were added, conversion increased to 14%. It was also observed that increasing total cellulase concentration beyond 8.3 muM did little to increase percent conversion of cellulose into glucose. The results of the binding studies indicate no competition for binding sites between the endo- and exocellulases.