A metagenomic ‘dark matter’ enzyme catalyses oxidative cellulose conversion
MainCellulose, the most abundant renewable polymer on Earth, poses a challenge for biological depolymerization. Although composed entirely of glucose residues, its crystalline microfibrillar structure, along with its association with lignin and hemicelluloses in plant cell walls, make it highly resistant to degradation. As a result, its breakdown in nature is slow and involves complex multi-component enzymatic systems1,6,8,9,10.This process can be carried out by a plethora of microorganisms thro...
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