Cellulases and related enzymes in biotechnology

Basic and applied research on microbial cellulases, hemicellulases and pectinases has not only generated significant scientific knowledge but has also revealed their enormous potential in biotechnology. At present, cellulases and related enzymes are used in food, brewery and wine, animal feed, textile and laundry, pulp and paper industries, as well as in agriculture and for research purposes. indeed, the demand for these enzymes is growing more rapidly than ever before, and this demand has become the driving force for research on cellulases and related enzymes. The present article is an overview of the biotechnological state-of-the-art for cellulases and related enzymes. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.