SANS investigation of fungal loosenins reveals substrate-dependent impacts of protein action on the inter-microfibril arrangement of cellulosic substrates

Abstract Background: Microbial expansin-related proteins include fungal loosenins, which have been previously shown to disrupt cellulose networks and enhance the enzymatic conversion of cellulosic substrates. Despite showing beneficial impacts to cellulose processing, detailed characterization of cellulosic materials after loosenin treatment is lacking. In this study, small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) was used to investigate the effects of three recombinantly produced loosenins that originate from Phanerochaete carnosa, PcaLOOL7, PcaLOOL9, and PcaLOOL12, on the organization of holocellulose preparations from Eucalyptus and Spruce wood