Novel glucuronoyl esterases for wood processing

Wood tissue constitutes of a tight network of biopolymers. Covalent linkages between lignin and carbohydrates hamper efficient extraction of intact wood polymers. Selective cleavage of lignin-carbohydrate (LC) bonds by specific enzymes provides an aid for wood processing using mild conditions. Glucuronoyl esterases (GE) are presumed to target LC ester bonds between lignin alcohols and glucuronic acid residues of xylan. In this study we recombinantly produced novel fungal GE enzymes and characterized them using model substrates. The application of these esterases on native LCC fractions will provide insight into their biological function and their potential use in extraction processes