Enzymes help break down plant cell walls: Bacillus bacteria

The thermostabile TAR-1 strain of Bacillus bacteria breaks down certain components of plant cell walls without breaking down cellulose via xylanase enzymes.

Biomimicry Taxonomy

	Break down >
	Chemically break down >
	Other organic compounds

Biomimetic Application Ideas

Non-chlorine bleaching process.

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[Collapse all sections] Summary

"Since the demonstration that alkali-treated wood pulp could be biologically bleached by xylanases instead of by the usual environmentally damaging chemical process involving chlorine, the search for thermostable alkaline xylanases has been extensive…xylanases [from an alkaliphilic and thermophilic Bacillus strain, TAR-1] did not act on cellulose, indicating a possible application of the enzyme in biological debleaching processes." (Horikoshi 1999:745)

About the inspiring organism

Bacillus
Bacillus

Organism/taxonomy data provided by:
Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2008 Annual Checklist

Bioinspired products and application ideas

Application Ideas: Non-chlorine bleaching process.

Industrial Sector(s) interested in this strategy: Paper

Experts

Extremobiosphere Research Center
Koki Horikoshi
Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC)

References

Horikoshi, Koki. 1999. Alkaliphiles: Some Applications of Their Products for Biotechnology. Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev. 63(4): 735-750.

Enzymes help break down plant cell walls: Bacillus bacteria

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