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Title: Enzymic hydrolysis of cellulose to glucose using immobilized b-glucosidase

Journal Article · · Biotechnol. Bioeng.; (United States)

The production of sugars by enzymic hydrolysis of cellulose is a multistep process which includes conversion of the intermediate cellobiose to glucose by B-glucosidase. Aside from its role as an intermediate cellobiose inhibits the endolglucanase components of typical cellulase enzyme systems. Because these enzyme systems often contain insufficient concentrations of B-glucosidase to prevent accumulation of inhibitory cellobiose, the use of supplemental immobilized B-glucosidase to increase yields of glucose was investigated. Immobolized B-glucosidase from Aspergillus phoenicis was produced by sorption on controlled-pore alumina with approximately 90% activity retention. The product lost only approximately 10% of the original activity during an on-stream reaction period of 500 h with cellobiose as substrate. Maximum activity occurred near pH 3.5, and the apparent activation energy was approx. 11 kcal/mol. The immobilized B-glucosidase was used together with Trichoderma reesei cellulase to hydrolyze cellulosic materials, such as Solka Floc, corn stover, and exploded wood. Increased yields of glucose and greater conversion of cellobiose to glucose were observed when the reaction systems contained supplemental immobilized B-glucosidase.

Research Organization:
Dept. Chem. Eng., Univ. Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06268, USA
OSTI ID:
5462001
Journal Information:
Biotechnol. Bioeng.; (United States), Vol. 23:3
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English