Chimeric enzymes in the pulp and paper making industry: Current developments

Abstract

The pulp and paper (P&P) industry plays a vital role in supporting the social and economic progress of a country by supplying essential commodities. Conventional P&P processing often consumes significant energy and use chemical agents to produce hazardous intermediates. The use of enzymes in the P&P industry has significantly reduced both the chemical and energy demands during processing. A variety of enzyme combination cocktails are used to perform multiple functions in a single step, but often fail to operate synergistically because of significant differences in operational conditions. This lack of synergy under various operating conditions highlights the need for engineered chimeric enzymes. Moreover, enzyme engineering approaches enable enzymes to perform catalysis in sub-optimal environment. Enzymes have been engineered to improve their catalytic properties and enhance operational stability. Designing multifunctional or chimeric enzymes can function simultaneously across diverse operational conditions. Chimeric enzymes enable effective synergistic action of multiple enzymes in the P&P industry. This review aims to provide clear insights into the selective development of chimeric enzymes using enzyme engineering approaches for their effective use in the P&P industry.