Transgenic Corn Cellobiohydrolase Enhances Hydrolysis of Sugarcane Bagasse

The expression of biomass-degrading enzymes, such as cellobiohydrolases, in transgenic plants can potentially reduce costs of biomass saccharification. Mark D. Harrison from Queensland University of Technology in Australia, and his team, expressed cellobiohydrolase in transgenic corn and evaluated it as an additive for two commercial cellulase mixtures for the saccharification of pretreated sugar cane bagasse.

Cellobiohydrolase, extracted from leaves of transgenic corn using tap water as a solvent, significantly enhanced the performance of two commercial cellulase mixture by up to four times on pretreated sugarcane bagasse  compared to the commercial cellulase mixture on its own. The accumulation of recombinant cellobiohydrolase in senescent, transgenic corn leaves is a viable strategy to reduce the saccharification cost associated with the production of fermentable sugars from pretreated biomass.