Light-driven oxidation of polysaccharides by photosynthetic pigments and a metalloenzyme
Journal article, 2016

Oxidative processes are essential for the degradation of plant biomass. A class of powerful and widely distributed oxidative enzymes, the lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs), oxidize the most recalcitrant polysaccharides and require extracellular electron donors. Here we investigated the effect of using excited photosynthetic pigments as electron donors. LPMOs combined with pigments and reducing agents were exposed to light, which resulted in a never before seen 100-fold increase in catalytic activity. In addition, LPMO substrate specificity was broadened to include both cellulose and hemicellulose. LPMO enzymes and pigment derivatives common in the environment of plant-degrading organisms thus form a highly reactive and stable light-driven system increasing the turnover rate and versatility of LPMOs. This light-driven system may find applications in biotechnology and chemical processing.

Author

David Cannella

University of Copenhagen

K. B. Mollers

University of Copenhagen

N. U. Frigaard

University of Copenhagen

P. E. Jensen

University of Copenhagen

M. J. Bjerrum

University of Copenhagen

Katja Salomon Johansen

Chalmers, Biology and Biological Engineering, Industrial Biotechnology

C. Felby

University of Copenhagen

Nature Communications

2041-1723 (ISSN) 20411723 (eISSN)

Vol. 7 11134

Subject Categories

Chemical Engineering

DOI

10.1038/ncomms11134

More information

Latest update

5/8/2018 1