Tunnel engineering to accelerate product release for better biomass-degrading abilities in lignocellulolytic enzymes.

This study represents a pilot study of engineering and functional verification of tunnel-like structures in enzymes catalyzing biopolymer. The specific activities of four xylanases with buried active sites were successfully improved by tunnel engineering. It is highly likely that tunnel reshaping can be used to engineer better biomass-degrading abilities in other lignocellulolytic enzymes with buried active sites.