Interaction between cellohexaose and cellulose binding domains from Trichoderma reesei cellulases

Most Trichoderma reesei cellulases consist of a catalytic and a cellulose binding domain (CBD) joined by a linker. We have used cellohexaose as a model compound for the glucose chain to investigate the interaction between the soluble enzyme and cellulose. The binding of cellohexaose to family I CBDs was studied by NMR spectroscopy. CBDs cause line broadening effects and decreasing T2 relaxation times for certain cellohexaose resonances, whereas there are no effects in the presence of a mutant which binds weakly to cellulose. Yet it remains uncertain how well the soluble cellooligosaccharide mimics the binding of CBD to the cellulose.