In the pursuit of accessing energy from complex carbohydrate precursors, various evolutionary strategies have emerged. Unlike the intricate cellulosomal structures seen in some organisms, many aerobic microorganisms, including fungi (e.g., Trichoderma reesei) and bacteria (e.g., Thermobifida fusca), rely on the production of single enzyme components at high concentrations for the deconstruction of lignocellulosic materials. The […]

Clostridium thermocellum (C. thermocellum) is a standout thermophilic, spore-forming anaerobic bacterium renowned for its exceptional capacity to hydrolyze diverse substrates found in lignocellulosic biomass. The identification of the cellulosome in C. thermocellum represents a groundbreaking achievement in microbiology, especially due to its effectiveness in degrading crystalline cellulose. These cellulosomes, some exceeding 2 MDa and forming […]

The natural world exhibits an intricate balance in the mechanisms of biomass breakdown, where cellulosomes, prevalent in anaerobic bacteria, stand out as remarkably efficient compared to the free enzyme systems found in aerobic bacteria and fungi. This superiority in deconstructing plant structural polysaccharides is substantiated by empirical data, exemplified by the notable disparity in protein […]

In the intricate landscape of biomass degradation, the cellulosome emerges as a key player, residing on bacterial and fungal cell surfaces and orchestrating the deconstruction of plant cell wall lignocellulose (Lamed et al., 1983b). This complex extracellular protein assembly has captivated researchers with its modular architecture and multifaceted components. Cellulosome Composition At its core, the […]

In the intricate world of microbial biomass degradation, bacteria and fungi play a crucial role in breaking down lignocellulose present in plant cell walls. Unlike organisms capable of engulfing large particles, these microorganisms employ a strategy involving the secretion of enzymes, such as cellulases, to facilitate the degradation process. Divergent Approaches in Aerobic and Anaerobic […]