Cellulase

Cellulase is a collective term for several **enzymes** that catalyze the hydrolysis of **cellulose** and related β-1,4-linked polysaccharides into glucose and smaller oligosaccharides. Primarily produced by fungi, bacteria, and some protozoans, cellulase enzymes are critical for the decomposition of plant materials and play an essential role in the global carbon cycle. The main types include **endoglucanases**, which cleave internal bonds within cellulose chains; **exoglucanases** (cellobiohydrolases), which remove cellobiose units from the ends of cellulose chains; and **β-glucosidases**, which hydrolyze cellobiose into glucose. Cellulases are essential in **biomass conversion**, **animal nutrition**, and numerous biotechnological applications, particularly the production of biofuels where the efficient breakdown of plant biomass is crucial[1][2][3][5][7][8]. Most animals, including humans, lack endogenous cellulase, so microbial or fungal cellulase is commonly used industrially. Variants exist across several glycoside hydrolase families, with structural diversity tailored to their function and substrate specificity[1][4][8].

Other names

endo-1,4-β-D-glucanase4-β-D-glucan 4-glucanohydrolasecellulysin

Catalytic hydrolysis of β-1,4-glycosidic bonds in cellulose polysaccharides, acting in synergistic fashion via multiple subclasses (endoglucanase, exoglucanase, β-glucosidase)[1][2][3][7][8]