A comprehensive analysis of the effects of the main component enzymes of cellulase derived from Trichoderma reesei on biomass saccharification

The aim of this study was a comprehensive analysis of the effects of the component enzymes of cellulase derived from Trichoderma reesei strain PC-3-7 on biomass saccharification. We used cellulases with deleted CBH I, CBH II, or EG I, which contain all other component enzymes, for saccharification of differently pretreated biomasses of rice straw, Erianthus, eucalyptus, and Japanese cedar. We found that CBH I was the most effective in saccharification of all pretreated cellulosic biomasses, although the effect was weaker in saccharification of sulfuric acid- and hydrothermally pretreated rice straw than of others; CBH II was more effective for rice straw than for eucalyptus, and was the most effective at the early stages of biomass degradation; EG I had little effect on pretreated biomasses, in particular, it had no effect on steam-exploded Japanese cedar. Thus, the effects of the main component enzymes depend on the biomass source and pretreatment. These findings will likely help to improve cellulase for industrial use.