XYLANASES · Xylanases as models for understanding enzymatic catalysis

Enzymes are essential for catalysis of the biochemical reactions that are characteristic of all living cells. Detailed explorations of these transformations have afforded a wealth of insight into the mechanisms of enzyme catalysis, heralding a range of enzyme applications. In spite of these advancements, further mechanistic studies on the fundamentals of enzymatic catalysis are still essential if we are to fully understand how enzymes effect the considerable 10e17 fold rate enhancements achieved under physiological conditions. A major challenge is to understand how the remote parts of the protein contribute to catalysis, that is