The synergistic action of cellulases is critical for the effective saccharification of cellulosic biomass, but the details of this cooperation remain poorly understood. Quantitative analysis at the level of single molecules now unveils a form of 'work sharing' among cellulolytic enzymes based on different adsorption specificities of their carbohydrate-binding modules.
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Igarashi, K. Cooperative biomass breakdown. Nat Chem Biol 9, 350–351 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/nchembio.1237
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nchembio.1237
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