Trichoderma reesei

Trichoderma reesei is a mesophilic and filamentous fungus. It is an anamorph of the fungus Hypocrea jecorina. T. reesei has the capacity to secrete large amounts of cellulolytic enzymes (cellulases and hemicellulases). Microbial cellulases have industrial application in the conversion of cellulose, a major component of plant biomass, into glucose.

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Recent advances in the biochemistry of cellulase enzymology, the mechanism of cellulose hydrolysis (cellulolysis), strain improvement, molecular cloning and process engineering are bringing T. reesei cellulases closer to being a commercially viable route to cellulose hydrolysis. Major advances have been made in the isolation of Trichoderma mutants, e.g. Rut-C30, RL-P37 and MCG-80.

See also

• Cellobiohydrolase (CBH)
• Cellulosic ethanol
• Endoglucanase (EG)
• Jungle rot

This article incorporates text from the webs of the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE), sites with content in the public domain.