Modulation of cellulase stability and activity by betaine- and choline-polyol based deep eutectic solvents

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology and Bioengineering
• Green Chemistry
• Sustainable Energy

Background:

• Lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) is a sustainable feedstock for biofuels, but conventional pretreatment is energy-intensive and environmentally damaging.
• Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) offer a greener alternative for biomass processing.
• Cellulase enzyme compatibility with DESs is crucial for integrated single-pot bioconversion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the stability and activity of cellulase in the presence of various DESs.
• To identify DES formulations that are compatible with cellulase for biomass conversion.
• To understand the molecular interactions between DESs and cellulase.

Main Methods:

• Experimental screening of cellulase activity and stability across fourteen different DESs.
• Fluorescence spectroscopy to analyze enzyme conformation.
• Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate enzyme-solvation shell interactions.

Main Results:

• Choline chloride-polyol based DESs significantly enhanced cellulase stability and catalytic activity.
• Cellulase maintained a compact and stable conformation in compatible DESs.
• DES selection critically impacts the efficiency of biomass conversion processes.

Conclusions:

• Certain DESs, particularly choline chloride-polyol based ones, are highly compatible with cellulase.
• These DESs show great potential for developing sustainable, one-pot lignocellulosic biomass conversion processes.
• Optimized DES selection is key for advancing green biofuel production technologies.