Single-molecular insights into the breakpoint of cellulose nanofibers assembly during saccharification

Ran Zhang, Zhen Hu, Yanting Wang, Huizhen Hu, Fengcheng Li, Mi Li, Arthur Ragauskas, Tao Xia, Heyou Han, Jingfeng Tang, Haizhong Yu (), Bingqian Xu () and Liangcai Peng ()
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Ran Zhang: Huazhong Agricultural University
Zhen Hu: Huazhong Agricultural University
Yanting Wang: Huazhong Agricultural University
Huizhen Hu: Huazhong Agricultural University
Fengcheng Li: Huazhong Agricultural University
Mi Li: University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Arthur Ragauskas: University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Tao Xia: Huazhong Agricultural University
Heyou Han: Huazhong Agricultural University
Jingfeng Tang: Hubei University of Technology
Haizhong Yu: Hubei University of Arts & Science
Bingqian Xu: University of Georgia
Liangcai Peng: Huazhong Agricultural University

Nature Communications, 2023, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract Plant cellulose microfibrils are increasingly employed to produce functional nanofibers and nanocrystals for biomaterials, but their catalytic formation and conversion mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we characterize length-reduced cellulose nanofibers assembly in situ accounting for the high density of amorphous cellulose regions in the natural rice fragile culm 16 (Osfc16) mutant defective in cellulose biosynthesis using both classic and advanced atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques equipped with a single-molecular recognition system. By employing individual types of cellulases, we observe efficient enzymatic catalysis modes in the mutant, due to amorphous and inner-broken cellulose chains elevated as breakpoints for initiating and completing cellulose hydrolyses into higher-yield fermentable sugars. Furthermore, effective chemical catalysis mode is examined in vitro for cellulose nanofibers conversion into nanocrystals with reduced dimensions. Our study addresses how plant cellulose substrates are digestible and convertible, revealing a strategy for precise engineering of cellulose substrates toward cost-effective biofuels and high-quality bioproducts.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36856-8

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