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Microbial Enzymes in Bioconversions of Biomass pp 37–45Cite as

Endo-1,4-β-glucanases: Role, Applications and Recent Developments

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Part of the book series: Biofuel and Biorefinery Technologies ((BBT,volume 3))

Abstract

The biomass conversion processes are highly dependent on the use of efficient enzymes to degrade polymeric cellulose or hemicellulose into simple saccharides, sugars which can be fermented by microorganisms for the production of valuable fuel and chemicals. The cellulose hydrolysis involves enzymes such as endo-1,4-β-glucanases (EC 3.2.1.4), cellobiohydrolases (or exo-1,4-β-glucanases) (EC 3.2.1.91) and β-glucosidases (EC 3.2.1.21). Endo-β-(1,4)-glucanases (EGs) or β-(1,4)-d-glucan-4-glucanohydrolases (EC 3.2.1.4), which act randomly on soluble and insoluble β-(1,4)-glucan substrates. EGs breakdown cellulose by attacking the amorphous regions to produce more accessible new free chain ends for the action of cellobiohydrolases. The EG-I, II, III, and V, respectively, GH7, 5, 12, and 45 are most common in natural fungal cellulase mixes. EGs play an important role in increasing yield of fruit juices, beer filtration, and oil extraction, as well as improving the nutritive quality of bakery products and animal feed. Reducing sugar assay is the most convenient and reliable method for EG estimation. However, it is very conventional and time consuming. Recently, a specific and sensitive assay methods have been developed using substrate mixture comprises of benzylidene end-blocked 2-chloro-4-nitrophenyl-β-cellotrioside (BzCNPG3) and 4,6-O-benzylidene-4-methylumbelliferyl-β-cellotrioside (BzMUG3).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hawaii Natural Energy Institute, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1680, East-West Road, Honolulu, 96822, HI, USA

    Neelamegam Annamalai

  2. Centre for Ocean Research, Sathyabama University, Jeppiar Nagar, Chennai, 600119, TN, India

    Mayavan Veeramuthu Rajeswari

  3. CAS in Marine Biology, Faculty of Marine Sciences, Annamalai University, Parangipettai, 608502, TN, India

    Thangavel Balasubramanian

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  1. Neelamegam Annamalai
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  2. Mayavan Veeramuthu Rajeswari
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  3. Thangavel Balasubramanian
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Correspondence to Neelamegam Annamalai .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry, School of Natural Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland

    Vijai Kumar Gupta

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Annamalai, N., Rajeswari, M.V., Balasubramanian, T. (2016). Endo-1,4-β-glucanases: Role, Applications and Recent Developments. In: Gupta, V. (eds) Microbial Enzymes in Bioconversions of Biomass. Biofuel and Biorefinery Technologies, vol 3. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43679-1_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43679-1_3

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-43679-1

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