Development of High Throughput Methods for the Discovery of Enzymes Capable of Degrading Crystalline Cellulose

70920 The production of bioethanol through higher catalytic rates of hydrolysis on crystalline cellulose could be improved if new cellobiohydrolases and endoglucanases enzymes could be found. This project will develop high-throughput screening methods to discover new gene encoding enzymes, endoglucanases and cellobiohydrolases, that can degrade crystalline cellulose. Candidate enzymes will be evaluated versus benchmark enzymes in order to determine efficacy in the enzymatic hydrolysis of crystalline cellulose. In Phase I, methods will be developed using a previously developed technology to discover cellobiohydrolases. Other methods will be developed that focus on the detection of enzymes capable of degrading crystalline cellulose. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The new enzymes should be used to degrade plant biomass, namely cellulose, for the retrieval of sugar monomers that would then be used for the production of ethanol by microorganisms.