Crystal structures of the cellulase Cel48F in complex with inhibitors and substrates give insights into its processive action

Crystallographic analysis of native and mutant forms of cellulase Cel48F and substrate-inhibitor complex crystals reveal seven sub-sites located at two different positions in the enzyme tunnel. Data also indicate that in the processive endo-cellulase, the two sites exhibit different patterns of aromatic residue stacking whereas nonprocessive enzyme show one type of sugar.