Enzymatic saccharification of lignocellulosic biomass is increasingly applied in agricultural and industrial applications. Nevertheless, low performance in the extreme environment severely prevents the utilization of commercial enzyme preparations. To obtain cellobiohydrolases with improved catalytic activity and thermostability, structure-based rational design was performed based on a thermostable cellobiohydrolase CtCel6 from Chaetomium thermophilum. In the present study, four conserved and noncatalytic residue substitutions were generated via site-directed mutagenesis. Mutations were heterologously expressed in yeast Pichia pastoris, purified, and ultimately assayed for enzymatic characteristics. The mutant Y119F increased the catalytic activity 1.82-, 1.65- and 1.43-fold against β-d-glucan, phosphoric acid swollen cellulose (PASC) and carboxymethylcellulose sodium (CMC-Na), respectively. In addition, S131 W effectively enhanced the enzyme's heat resistance to elevated temperatures. The half-life (t1/2) of this mutant enzyme was increased 1.42- and 2.40-fold at 80 °C and 90 °C, respectively, compared to the wild-type. This study offers initial insight into the biological function of the conserved and noncatalytic residues of thermostable cellobiohydrolases and provides a valid approach to the improvement of enzyme redesign proposal.
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