Scheme 1
From: Selecting β-glucosidases to support cellulases in cellulose saccharification
Schematic representation of the β-glucosidase-catalyzed turnover of cellobiose. Cellobiose (G2) binds to the enzyme to form a Michaelis complex (EG2) that reacts to form a first product (glucose, G1) and a covalent glucosyl-enzyme intermediate (E-G1). The latter can react with water to produce glucose (hydrolysis) or with cellobiose to produce a trisaccharide, G3, as a second product (transglycosylation). In the case of such model substrates as pNPG or MUG, the chromophore is released as the first product.