How recombinant swollenin from Kluyveromyces lactis affects cellulosic substrates and accelerates their hydrolysis.

The article presents a research which investigates recombinant production of non-hydrolyzing protein swollenin, and evaluates its quantitative affects on physical properties of cellulosic substrates and their subsequent hydrolysis. In this study, swollenin, naturally produced in Trichoderma reesei, was expressed in yeast Kluyveromyces lactis, and then used for pretreatment of different insoluble cellulosic substrates, which were then enzymatically hydrolyzed. Results showed that swollenin for industrial uses can be successfully produced in K. lactis, and preatreatment with swollenin causes deagglomeration and decrystallization of cellulosics, leading to high cellulose hydrolysis rates.