Mechanisms employed by cellulase systems to gain access through the complex architecture of lignocellulosic substrates

- Novel imaging and sample preparation reveales enzymatic deconstruction mechanisms.
- Disrupting lignin and cellulose crystallinity enhances enzymatic hydrolysis.
- Lignin causes obstruction, nonproductive binding and small molecule inhibition.
- Biomass deconstruction mechanisms vary between single and multi-domain enzymes.
- The combination of diverse enzyme strategies will overcome biomass recalcitrance.