Application of the Fusion Approach for the Production of Highly Efficient Biocatalysts Based on Recombinant Strains of the Fungus Penicillium verruculosum for the Conversion of Cellulose-Containing Biomass

Hydrolysis of cellulose-containing biomass mediated by biocatalysts (enzyme preparations, EP) is one of the most advanced and environmentally friendly methods of obtaining a range of useful substances. A new approach to creating recombinant EPs with predefined properties, which consists in applying fusion constructs for the cloning of genes encoding target enzymes, was used in the present study. A number of EPs with different properties was derived from a strain of the fungus Penicillium verruculosum using fusion constructs; these preparations are of interest primarily as additives enhancing the hydrolytic capacity of the basic cellulolytic complex from P. verruculosum. Use of the new EPs in combination with the basic EP from P. verruculosum resulted in an increase of the biocatalytic (hydrolytic) efficiency of the latter towards cellulose-containing raw materials of plant origin. Addition of 20% of the new EP to the basic EP without changing the total EP dose in the reaction mixture resulted in a significant (up to 70%) increase of the efficiency of hydrolysis of cellulose-containing substrates (ground aspen wood and shredded deresined pine wood).