NREL finds CelA could be key to unlocking cellulosic biofuel viability

In Colorado, an enzyme discovered at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) proves adept at breaking down cellulose fibers regardless of whether their crystalline structure is simple or highly complex. No other enzyme has shown that ability.

The enzyme, called CelA, comes from Caldicellulosiruptor bescii, and NREL scientists reported three years ago, in the journal Science, how it can convert biomass to sugars faster than competing catalysts in commercial enzyme preparations. The follow-up study, detailed in the new Scientific Reports paper, The Multi Domain Caldicellulosiruptor bescii CelA Cellulase Excels at the Hydrolysis of Crystalline Cellulose, points to how the enzyme could help remove one of the technical and economic barriers preventing cellulosic biofuels from becoming a commercial reality.