Polysaccharide Degrading Biocatalysts (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780323999861)

The transformation of polysaccharides into valuable compounds for health and industry requires the careful application of enzyme protocols and controlled biocatalysis.

Polysaccharide-Degrading Biocatalysts provides a thorough grounding in these biocatalytic processes and their growing role in the depolymerization of polysaccharides, empowering researchers to discover and develop new enzyme-based approaches across pharmaceuticals, fuels, and food engineering. Here, over a dozen leading experts offer a close examination of structural polysaccharides, genetic modification of polysaccharides, polysaccharide degradation routes, pretreatments for enzymatic hydrolysis, hemicellulose-degrading enzymes, biomass valorization processes, oligosaccharide production, and enzyme immobilization for the hydrolysis of polysaccharides, among other topics and related research protocols. A final chapter considers perspectives and challenges in an evolving, carbohydrate-based economy.