Abstract
The enzyme xylanase breaks down the linear polysaccharide β-1,4-xylan
into xylose, therefore breaking down hemicellulose, one of the primary components of
plant cell walls. It is essential for the breakdown of plant materials into usable nutrients
by microorganisms that thrive on plant sources. Fungi, bacteria, yeast, marine algae,
protozoans, snails, crustaceans, insects, seeds, and other organisms generate xylanases.
However, the amount of xylanase produced by fungal cultures is generally significantly
larger than that produced by yeasts or bacteria. There is a growing demand for low-cost
microbial xylanolytic enzymes that have industrial uses and are commercially
manufactured. The chlorine-free whitening of wood pulp preparatory to the
papermaking process and the enhanced digestibility of silage are two commercial
applications for xylanase. Aside from the pulp and paper industry, xylanases are used
in wheat flour for ethanol production, improving dough handling and quality of baked
products, as food additives in poultry, clarification of fruit juices, biofuel production,
textiles, pharmaceuticals, and chemical industries. Improved knowledge of the
biological characteristics and genetics of fungal xylanase will allow these enzymes to
be used in a variety of novel biotechnological and commercial applications.