Cloning and Recombinant Expression of a Cellulase

Cellulases are very important enzymes that break up cellulose. This reaction is used, for example, for biofuel production. A reduction in cellulase production cost, an improvement in cellulase performance, and an increase in sugar yields are all vital to reduce the processing costs of biorefineries. Improvements in specific cellulase activities for noncomplexed cellulase mixtures can be implemented through cellulase engineering based on rational design or directed evolution for each cellulase component enzyme, as well as on the reconstitution of cellulase components. This chapter explains the cloning of the cellulase gene from cellulolytic bacteria into Escherichia coli.