Investigation of the action mechanism of a cellodextrin glucohydrolase using soluble cellodextrins as substrates

A mathematical model was developed that can satisfactorily describe the system of parallel and series reactions during the degradation of cellodextrins by a glucohydrolase in batch experiments. The enzyme sequentially splits off glucose units from the oligomer chains. Using a thin-channel membrane reactor, the model was then shown to be able to predict the conversion of cellohexaose in continuous experiments. This has, to the best of our knowledge, been the first time that such an oligosaccharide conversion has been experimentally followed and modeled for a continuous stirred tank reactor.