Enzyme discovery and structure-function investigation of carbohydrate-active enzymes

Abstract

The plant cell wall is the main component of wood, and it has a highly complex structure. In nature, microorganisms can essentially break down all of its parts, and their enzymes can be used for catalyzing specific reaction to remodel and modify wood-derived individual polysaccharides and complex fibers. There are still significant knowledge gaps regarding the interaction with the complex cell wall matrix on the molecular level. Further research on carbohydrate-active enzymes is hence needed, with a particular focus on enzyme active on hemicelluloses and on covalent bonds between lignin and polysaccharides. Investigating proteins of unknown function is also interesting, as they may be enzymes possessing novel activities towards the polymers of the cell wall