Cellulase refers to a group of enzymes which, acting together, hydrolyze cellulose. The b-glucosidases, including cellobiose, are primarily active on the smaller molecular weight cellulose hydrolysates. During cellulose breakdown they are active on the dimers and oligomers of cellulose.
Cellulase is used for commercial food processing in coffee. It performs hydrolysis of cellulose during drying of beans. Furthermore, cellulases are widely used in textile industry and in laundry detergents. They have also been used in the pulp and paper industry for various purposes, and they are even used for pharmaceutical applications. Cellulase is used in the fermentation of biomass into biofuels, although this process is relatively experimental at present. Cellulase is used as a treatment for phytobezoars, a form of cellulose bezoar found in the human stomach.
Cellulase from Aspergillus niger catalyzes the hydrolysis of endo-1,4-β-D-glycosidic linkages in cellulose, lichenin, barley glucan, and the cellooligosaccharides cellotriose to cellohexaose. It does not cleave cellobiose or p-nitrophenyl-β-D-glucoside. This enzyme will also cleave intact glycosaminoglycan from a core peptide by hydrolyzing the xylosyl serine linkage.
One unit will liberate one µmole of glucose from cellulose in 1 hr at pH 5 and 37°C. CMC Unit Definition: 100 units is sufficient to produce reducing sugar equivalent to 1 mg of glucose per minute at pH 5.0 and 40°C.
Specific Activity: >60,000 u/g
Key Applications: Enzymes, Inhibitors, Substrates
Application Areas: Molecular biology; Cell biology
Product Type: Proteins, Enzymes & Peptides
Presentation: Tan Powder
Format: Powder
pH: Optimum pH: Varies with the substrate in the range 4.2 - 5.2.(Lit.)
Foreign activity: Salmonella Negative
NOTES: Coliforms: ≤30/g
Solubility: Readily soluble in water.
Storage & Handling: Store at +4°C.