SGER: Investigation of dynamic actions of cellulolytic enzymes with micro-cantilever sensors

Drexel University, Philadelphia PA

Investigators

Abstract

CBET-0843921 Xi This research will advance the mechanistic understanding of dynamic actions of cellulolytic enzyme cellulases on water-insoluble native substrates in a heterogeneous system. The interactions between cellulases and plant cell architecture and hierarchy, such as cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin structures are currently poorly understood. This can be attributed partially to the lack of an analytical tool capable of examining the interfacial interactions between the enzymes and the solid substrates. Some of the existing technologies such as Ellipsometry and Quartz Crystal Microbalance have recently been applied in such studies but unable to achieve the sensitivity required for dissecting the entire cellulolytic processes. Because cellulolytic enzymes are the key enzymes in degrading the cellulosic biomass, the lack of mechanistic understanding of cellulases has significantly hindered the progress of developing an efficient and economic bioprocess to produce biofuel from cellulosic biomass. A novel method will be used to investigate the interfacial interactions between cellulases and water-insoluble crystalline cellulose substrates by taking advantage of an emerging micro-cantilever technology. This approach will allow us to obtain a more quantitative assessment of cellulase actions and potentially establish structural-functional relationships of both enzymes and substrates, which will be essential for developing a new cellulase with improved efficiency and stability for bioprocessing. A better understanding of these interactions will also contribute to our fundamental knowledge of interfacial enzyme catalysis in general, and more importantly will accelerate the development of biofuels from cellulosic biomass as an alternative energy source that could potentially have a profound impact on national economy, environment, and national security. The proposed research requires a multidisciplinary approach with a collaborative effort of chemists, biologists, engineer, and physicists. This will facilitate the on-going effort of developing a highly interdisciplinary research and educational environment at Drexel University, which will potentially offer a great opportunity for both graduate and undergraduate students to be exposed to a broad range of scientific fields, and prepare them to tackle the complex problems in their future scientific career. The results of this work will be presented at relevant conferences, and published in peer-reviewed journals.