Biomass-binding peptides designed by molecular evolution for efficient degradation of cellulose in biomass by cellulase

Abstract

Molecular evolution was used to generate capping molecules that selectively bound to the noncellulose components in cellulosic biomass and facilitated access of cellulolytic enzymes to the substrate components. The peptides, which were selected by means of a phage-display method, strongly promoted the enzymatic degradation of cellulose components in the biomass.