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The biological conversion of lignocellulosic matter into high‐value chemicals or biofuels is of increasing industrial importance as the sector slowly transitions away from nonrenewable sources. Many industrial processes involve the use of cellulolytic enzyme cocktails – a selection of glycoside hydrolases and, increasingly, polysaccharide oxygenases – to break down recalcitrant plant polysaccharides. ORFs from the genome of Teredinibacter turnerae, a symbiont hosted within the gills of marine shipworms, were identified in order to search for enzymes with desirable traits. Here, a putative T. turnerae glycoside hydrolase from family 8, hereafter referred to as TtGH8, is analysed. The enzyme is shown to be active against β‐1,4‐xylan and mixed‐linkage (β‐1,3,β‐1,4) marine xylan. Kinetic parameters, obtained using high‐performance anion‐exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection and 3,5‐dinitrosalicyclic acid reducing‐sugar assays, show that TtGH8 catalyses the hydrolysis of β‐1,4‐xylohexaose with a kcat/Km of 7.5 × 107 M−1 min−1 but displays maximal activity against mixed‐linkage polymeric xylans, hinting at a primary role in the degradation of marine polysaccharides. The three‐dimensional structure of TtGH8 was solved in uncomplexed and xylobiose‐, xylotriose‐ and xylohexaose‐bound forms at approximately 1.5 Å resolution; the latter was consistent with the greater kcat/Km for hexasaccharide substrates. A 2,5B boat conformation observed in the −1 position of bound xylotriose is consistent with the proposed conformational itinerary for this class of enzyme. This work shows TtGH8 to be effective at the degradation of xylan‐based substrates, notably marine xylan, further exemplifying the potential of T. turnerae for effective and diverse biomass degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The enzymatic deconstruction of recalcitrant polysaccharide biomass is central to the conversion of these substrates for societal benefit, such as in biofuels. Traditional models for enzyme-catalysed polysaccharide degradation involved the synergistic action of endo-, exo- and processive glycoside hydrolases working in concert to hydrolyse the substrate. More recently this model has been succeeded by one featuring a newly discovered class of mononuclear copper enzymes: lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs; classified as Auxiliary Activity (AA) enzymes in the CAZy classification). In 2013, the structure of an LPMO from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, BaAA10, was solved with the Cu centre photoreduced to Cu(i) in the X-ray beam. Here we present the catalytic activity of BaAA10. We show that it is a chitin-active LPMO, active on both α and β chitin, with the Cu(ii) binding with low nM KD, and the substrate greatly increasing the thermal stability of the enzyme. A spiral data collection strategy has been used to facilitate access to the previously unobservable Cu(ii) state of the active centre, revealing a coordination geometry around the copper which is distorted from axial symmetry, consistent with the previous findings from EPR spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The derivation of second-generation biofuels from non-edible biomass is viewed as crucial for establishing a sustainable bio-based economy for the future. The inertness of lignocellulosic biomass makes its breakdown for conversion into fuels and other compounds a challenge. Enzyme cocktails can be utilized in the bio-refinery for lignocellulose deconstruction but until recently their costs were regarded as high. Lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) offer tremendous promise for further process improvements owing to their ability to boost the activity of biomass-degrading enzyme consortia. Combining data from multiple disciplines, progress has been made in understanding the biochemistry of LPMOs. We review the academic literature in this area and highlight some of the key questions that remain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) are a recently discovered class of enzymes capable of oxidizing recalcitrant polysaccharides. They are attracting considerable attention owing to their potential use in biomass conversion, notably in the production of biofuels. Previous studies have identified two discrete sequence-based families of these enzymes termed AA9 (formerly GH61) and AA10 (formerly CBM33). Here, we report the discovery of a third family of LPMOs. Using a chitin-degrading exemplar from Aspergillus oryzae, we show that the three-dimensional structure of the enzyme shares some features of the previous two classes of LPMOs, including a copper active center featuring the 'histidine brace' active site, but is distinct in terms of its active site details and its EPR spectroscopy. The newly characterized AA11 family expands the LPMO clan, potentially broadening both the range of potential substrates and the types of reactive copper-oxygen species formed at the active site of LPMOs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Recently discovered polysaccharide mono-oxygenases are copper-containing enzymes. [•] Different sequence families in bacteria and fungi are structurally similar but with subtle differences in active site and mechanism. [•] Copper active sites use N-terminal histidine to coordinate to copper in the so-called ‘histidine brace’. [•] Aided by these enzymes, recalcitrant biomass is becoming a viable biofuel source. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]