title: Enhancement of Cellulose Degradation by Cattle Saliva.
abstract: Saccharification of cellulose is a promising technique for producing alternative source of energy. However, the efficiency of conversion of cellulose into soluble sugar using any currently available methodology is too low for industrial application. Many additives, such as surfactants, have been shown to enhance the efficiency of cellulose-to-sugar conversion. In this study, we have examined first whether cattle saliva, as an additive, would enhance the cellulase-catalyzed hydrolysis of cellulose, and subsequently elucidated the mechanism by which cattle saliva enhanced this conversion. Although cattle saliva, by itself, did not degrade cellulose, it enhanced the cellulase-catalyzed degradation of cellulose. Thus, the amount of reducing sugar produced increased approximately 2.9-fold by the addition of cattle saliva. We also found that non-enzymatic proteins, which were present in cattle saliva, were responsible for causing the enhancement effect. Third, the mechanism of cattle saliva mediated enhancement of cellulase activity was probably similar to that of the canonical surfactants. Cattle saliva is available in large amounts easily and cheaply, and it can be used without further purification. Thus, cattle saliva could be a promising additive for efficient saccharification of cellulose on an industrial scale.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Seki
authors.affiliation: Department of Industrial Chemistry, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Yukiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kikuchi
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.affiliation: Department of Industrial Chemistry, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yoshimoto
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Masatoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Industrial Chemistry, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aburai
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kanai
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Tatsushi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ruike
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Iwabata
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Biological Science, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Fumio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sugawara
authors.affiliation: Department of Industrial Chemistry, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Kengo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakaguchi
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D000818:Animals; D018533:Biomass; D002417:Cattle; D002480:Cellulase / Q000378:metabolism; D002482:Cellulose / Q000378:metabolism*; D005591:Chemical Fractionation; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D011506:Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins; D002482:Cellulose; D002480:Cellulase