A mutant β-glucosidase increases the rate of the cellulose enzymatic hydrolysis.

The enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose and lignocellulosic materials is marked by a rate decrease along the reaction time. Cellobiohydrolase slow dissociation from the substrate and its inhibition by the cellobiose produced are relevant factors associated to the rate decrease. In that sense, addition of β-glucosidases to the enzyme cocktails employed in cellulose enzymatic hydrolysis not only produces glucose as final product but also reduces the cellobiohydrolase inhibition by cellobiose.

Association between Parkinson's disease and glucocerebrosidase mutations in Brazil.

Objective: To evaluate the association between parkinsonism and mutations in the glucocerebrosidase gene (GBA) in Brazilian patients.

Methods: We searched for three GBA common mutations (N370S, L444P and G377S) in 65 Brazilian patients affected by PD with disease onset before the age of 55 and compared the results to 267 age- and sex-matched controls.

Results: GBA mutations were detected at a significantly higher frequency among Parkinson's disease patients (2/65=3%), when compared to the control group (0/267): P=0.