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Enzymatic degradation of biomass is preferred over chemical methods for environmental protection. However, in most cases, a chemical pretreatment is still required to help improve enzyme accessibility of the biomass. Therefore, it is necessary to develop highly efficient enzymes for those reasons and to save costs accordingly. Costs can be further reduced if the enzymes are recycled. XynR8(N58D) is an engineered and highly active xylanase originating from the rumen fungus Neocallimastix patriciarum. In this study, XynR8(N58D) was extracellularly over-expressed by Pichia pastoris. The resulting crude enzyme solution, with a purity of XynR8(N58D) of over 80%, was used to prepare the cross-linked enzyme aggregates (CLEA) of XynR8(N58D). Specific activity of the crude enzyme solution was 11,599.39 IU/mg, and that of CLEA was 6129.42 IU/mg. The immobilization yield and the immobilization efficiency were 62.68 ± 16.20% and 84.31 ± 3.11%, respectively. The thermostability, stress tolerance, and shelf life of CLEA were significantly better than those of the free enzyme. The free enzyme and CLEA both effectively decomposed insoluble xylan and autoclaved corncob powders. Therefore, XynR8(N58D) made into CLEA not only maintained high activity, but also improved its stability and permitted its reuse or recyclability. Both forms of the enzyme can effectively degrade lignocellulosic biomass without relying on chemical pretreatment to reduce recalcitrance of the biomass structure. The application of XynR8(N58D) and its CLEA to biomass degradation can help establish an eco-friendly and more cost-effective process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]