Abstract:
Lignocellulosic biomass, rich in potential carbon sources and
value added products, has been intensively investigated in scope of its costefficient
and effective decomposition. Many methods were developed,
physicochemical or biological. Nevertheless, they are either expensive,
inefficient or pose threat to the environment. Recently discovered proteins,
lacking any hydrolytic activity, can be a key to solve problems associated
with a slow process of enzymatical, eco-friendly degradation. These
proteins belong to three related groups – swollenins, expansins and
loosenins. Using different molecular mechanisms, they disrupt hydrogen
bonds within cellulose chains, enabling enzymes to perform hydrolysis
leading to decomposition of lignocellulosic complex.
