Abstract
Background: Highly efficient enzymatic saccharification of pretreated lignocellulose is a primary key step in achieving lignocellulosic biorefinery. Cellobiohydrolase I (Cel7A) secreted by Trichoderma reesei is an industrially used cellulase possessing carbohydrate binding module 1 (TrCBM1) as the C-terminal domain. Non-productive binding of TrCBM1 to lignin significantly decreases enzymatic saccharification efficiency and enhance cost of biomass conversion due to required additional enzymes. Understanding of the interaction mechanism between lignin and TrCBM1 is essentially required to realize cost-effective biofuels production, but the binding sites in lignin have not been clearly elucidated. Results: Three types of 13C-labeled b-O-4 lignin oligomer models were synthesized and characterized. The 2D 1H-13C HSQC spectra of the 13C-labeled lignin models exhibited that 13C-labels were correctly incorporated in the (1) aromatic rings and b positions, (2) a positions, and (3) methoxy groups, respectively. The TrCBM1 binding sites in lignin were analyzed by observing NMR chemical shift perturbations (CSPs) using the synthetic 13C-labeled b-O-4 lignin oligomer models. Obvious CSPs were observed in signals from the aromatic regions in oligomers bound to TrCBM1, whereas perturbations in the signals from aliphatic regions and methoxy groups were insignificant. This indicated that hydrophobic interactions and p–p stacking were dominating factors in non-productive binding. The synthetic lignin models have two configurations whose terminal units were differently aligned and donated C(I) and C(II). The C(I) ring showed remarkable perturbation compared with C(II), which indicated that binding of TrCBM1 is evidently affected by configuration of lignin models. Long-chain lignins (DP 4.16–4.70) clearly bound to TrCBM1. Interactions with short-chain lignins (DP 2.64–3.12) were insignificant, indicating that a DP greater than 4 was necessary for TrCBM1 binding. Conclusion: The CSP analysis using 13C-labeled b-O-4 lignin oligomer models enabled us to identify TrCBM1 binding sites in lignin at the atomic level. This specific interaction analysis will lead to new molecular design of cellulase having controlled affinity to cellulose and lignin for cost-effective biorefinery process.
Recombinant family 3 carbohydrate-binding module as a new additive for enhanced enzymatic saccharification of whole slurry from autohydrolyzed Eucalyptus globulus wood
