Lichenase


Lichenase is an enzyme with systematic name --beta-D-glucan 4-glucanohydrolase. It was named after its activity in on lichenin.

Activity

This enzyme catalyses the following chemical reaction

Specificity

The best-characterised variant of this of enzyme is Bacillus subtilis lichenase, which is used as a molecular biology tool in determining the structure of mixed-linkage glucans. This variant cleaves bonds that immediately follow a bond.
Other lichenases have different specificities, for example Aspergillus japonicus lichenase cleaves bonds that immediately precede a bond.

Structure

Lichenases are from glycoside hydrolase family 16, and share a jellyroll structure. A deep surface cleft acts as the substrate binding site.