Evaluation of Saccharophagus degradans 2-40T as a whole cell biocatalyst for the saccharification of lignocellulose

The cellulase production is one of the most costly steps in the biofuel and chemical production using lignocellulose. Saccharophagus degradans 2-40^T, a marine bacterium, is the scavenger of the ocean environment since it is capable of degrading various complex polysaccharides including cellulose, xylan, and other sea weed polysaccharides. Industrial application of the whole cells or crude enzymes of S. degradans in lignocellulose saccharification has been actively considered by some companies including Aemetis Inc. However, the actual performance of the overall enzyme systems in S. degradans has not been evaluated in comparison with commercial cellulases. In this study, S. degradans was cultivated on cellulose and xylan to induce its enzyme systems, and the volumetric and the specific activities of cellulase and xylanase were measured. When comparing with commercial cellulases (Celluclast 1.5 L and Accellerase 1000), the maximum specific cellulase activity of S. degradans on filter paper was approximately 70 folds lower than those of commercial cellulases. These results imply that the performance of the cellulase system in S. degradans needs to be substantially improved for industrial application.