Structural and functional studies of xylanases with potential biotechnological application

• Grant number: 18/11730-3
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): August 01, 2018
• Effective date (End): July 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biophysics
• Principal Investigator: Igor Polikarpov
• Grantee: Ana Gabriela Veiga Sepulchro
• Home Institution: Instituto de Física de São Carlos (IFSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The configuration of the current world points to a need to reformulate the energy matrix; Bioconversion of biomass (lignocellulosic plant material consisting of three types of polymers: cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin) emerges as a sustainable and effective alternative. However, the cell wall presents a significant recalcitrance, which imposes itself as a challenge to its enzymatic hydrolysis. In this aspect, the understanding of the mechanism of action of the hydrolytic enzymes, at molecular level, during the process of decomposition of this wall is of fundamental importance for the development of enzymatic mixtures. The current research project proposes the study of enzymes that act on hemicellulose, second most abundant polymer in nature, in particular, those which degrade xylan, a diverse group of hemicellulose constituent polysaccharides with the common characteristic of a backbone of xylose residues bound by beta-(1,4)-links. It is proposed to perform expression and purification of xylan degradation enzymes for biochemical, biophysical, and structural studies.