Monday, May 4, 2009
5-51

Thermochemical screening of cellulolytic enzymes for second generation bioethanol production

Leigh Murphy1, Peter Westh1, and Kim Borch2. (1) Science systems and models, Roskilde University, Universiteitsvej 1, Roskilde, 4000, Denmark, (2) Novozymes, Krogshoejvej 36, Bagsvaerd, Denmark

The study of cellulolytic enzymes has traditionally been carried out using a variety of assays and techniques with both advantages and disadvantages. Typically, assays are specific to a particular enzyme type (specific substrates) or all encompassing (sugar production)[1]. Specific substrates may not reflect the situation during the breakdown of a complex biomass substrate, whilst all encompassing assays such as HPLC determination of sugars are limited to end product monitoring.

Thermochemical methods using Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (ITC) or Thermal Activity Monitoring (TAM) using power compensated or passive heat conduction measurements respectively, yield data where the primary observable is heat production; this in turn may be converted directly to the rate of reaction [2]. This means thermochemical measurements performed on such complex substrates as a variety of biomass types as well as model substrates monitor real time hydrolysis.

The current poster is a summary of the systematic benchmarking to use thermochemical screening for cellulolytic enzymes. We outline the possibilities for future use as well as some advantages and disadvantages of the investigated methods.

1              Ghose, T. K. (1987). "Measurement of cellulase activities." Pure and Applied Chemistry 59(2): 257-268.

2              Todd, M. J. and J. Gomez (2001). "Enzyme kinetics determined using calorimetry: A general assay for enzyme activity?" Analytical Biochemistry 296(2): 179-187.


See more of Poster Session 2/Reception
See more of The 31st Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals (May 3-6, 2009)