Team:Edinburgh/Data collection

How to assay cellulose?

Ok, so we do need data to feed them back to the model. How do we go about acquiring them? At the least, we need to know the quantities of two of {cellulose, cellobiose, glucose}.

A paper I read used HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography), but our equipment would not detect cellulose directly, or glucose at the sorts of concentrations we're interested in.

An IUPAC paper describes what seems to be a relatively simple method of assaying the degradation of a piece of filter paper. This looks like a promising way to get data.

What sorts of data we might need

As it's pointed out here, we need the data from these systems:

• completely non-synergistic system, with enzymes free-floating in a solution
• INP system
• Phage system (if we make any)

Then we can actually see if synergy works (and how much better it is than free-floating)

References

• Ghose TK. Measurement of cellulase activities. Pure Appl Chem 1987;59:257–68, available here

• Kadam, KL, Rydholm, EC, McMillan JD (2004) Development and Validation of a Kinetic Model for Enzymatic Saccharification of Lignocellulosic Biomass. Biotechnology Progress Vol. 20, Issue 3: 698–705, (doi: 10.1021/bp034316x).