Dept. of Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry

The enzymatic degradation of cellulose and other insoluble, polymeric substrates is far more complicated than classical solution kinetics in a three-dimensional system. First, the enzyme is generally regarded as the mobile component. Second, special "anchoring"parts keep the enzymes stuck at the substrate surface. The movement of the enzyme(s) is often regarded as two-dimensional, or even one-dimensional, if an enzyme can degrade a polymer chain processively, i.e. carry out several consecutive cleavages without dissociating from the chain.

As a rule, different enzymes with specialised activity profile act together in nature to degrade solid cellulose with higher efficiency, synergism.