Microbial Xylanases: A Review

Abstract

Enzymes play a key role in producing important and useful products in our daily life. They act as biocatalysts that increase the rate of chemical reactions. A category of enzymes known as xylanases are hydrolyzing enzymes that hydrolyze the -1,4-xylan, the principal constituent of hemicelluloses, into xylose sugar. Xylanases are categorized as endoxylanase, xylosidases, arabinofuranosidase, glucuronidase and esterases. The substrate xylan is highly expensive for enzyme production, so for reducing its cost, agricultural residues like wheat bran, rice bran, corn cobs, sugarcane bagasse, sawdust and oat bran etc. are used as substrate. Enzyme production can be carried out by using fermentation techniques through microorganisms such as fungi, yeasts, bacteria, actinomycetes etc. Xylanases are considered an important tool in industrial sectors like pulp and paper industry, textile industry, food and feed industry, bio-ethanol production and fruit juices and wine clarification.