Biodegradation enzyme complexes

This situation differs sigiuficantly from that which was observed in the case of films in the salt form where spread in viscosity values is great. Third, the general form of the curve of dependence of viscosity variation on the time of film contact with solution of the enzyme complex Collagenase KK (Figure 4) is the same as in the case of films obtained in the salt form, however, the degree of film specimens biodegradation is considerably lower (see Table 1). 

Allmendinger M (2004) PhD Thesis. Multi-Site Catalysis - Novel Strategies to Biodegradable Polyesters from Epoxides/CO and Macrocyclic Complexes as Enzyme Models. Universitat Ulm, Ulm... 

Plant cell walls are complex, heterogeneous structures composed mainly of polymers, such as cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignins. In spite of several decades of research, cell wall assembly and the biosynthesis and ultimate biodegradative pathways of individual polymers are still far from being fully understood. One simple example will suffice Even today, no enzyme capable of catalyzing cellulose formation in vitro has been obtained. 

The soil is a complex structure with close interrelationship among factors that influence biodegradation of pesticides, such as the structure of the pesticide, presence of an effective, active microbial community capable of degradation, and bioavailability of the compound in space and time (sorption, moisture content, temperature, nutrients, and soil pH) to enzymes or to whole cells (Aislabie and Lloydjones, 1995). 

The biodegradation of cellulose is caused by enzymes known as cellulases [471-475]. Cellu-lases are produced by many microorganisms (bacteria and fungi). The most widely studied cellulases are of fungal origin, e.g., Trichoderma [471,473]. The cellulose-digesting bacteria of the rumen are a complex anaerobic community [476,477]. 

Enzymes are ideal natural catalysts compared to chemical catalysts because they are more environmentally benign than heavy metal catalysts, and they can utilize benign substrates, work under mild reaction conditions, and provide high structural selectivity in products while cutting down byproducts. Other advantages of enzymes are particularly apparent in the synthesis and modification of complex polymers, including those that are chiral, electrochemically active, biodegradable, or... 

Enzyme-based applications for environmental screening or monitoring demand tailored biocatalysts performing catalysis in non-natural substrates and/or in non-usual or hostile media. Moreover, the increased complexity of contaminated environmental sites also demands efiicient biodegradation of xenobiotic compounds through new and multiple engineered pathways where the tailored biocatalysts should perform in their host microbial cells [434]. 

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