Effects of purified endo-β-1,4-xylanases of family 10 and 11 and acetyl xylan esterases on eucalypt sulfite dissolving pulp

Sulfite dissolving pulp from Eucalyptus grandis contained approximately 3.8% O-acetyl-4-O-methylglucuronoxylan with a molar ratio of xylose:4-O-methylglucuronic acid:acetyl group close to 13.6:1:6.2. The effects produced by purified endo-xylanases from two different glycosyl hydrolase families (family 10 and 11) as well as acetyl xylan esterases were examined and assessed on pulp in relation to their bleaching abilities. The purified endo-xylanases hpdrolyzed only a limited portion (less than 30%) of the acetylglucuronoxylan present in the pulp. The enzymes of family 10 produced acetylated xylobiose and xylotriose whereas acetylated xylobiose was not observed among the products released from the pulp by the family 11 xylanases. The esterases however were not capable of deacetylating the acetylated aldouronic acids generated by the xylanases. Regardless of the different mode of action of the endo-xylanases on dissolving pulp, their effect on pulp bleaching was not related to the amount and nature of sugars generated or the glycosyl hydrolase family. No additional brightness gain was obtained when endo-xylanases were used in conjunction with acetyl xylan esterases, suggesting that the latter do not play an important role in biobleaching of eucalypt sulfite dissolving pulps. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.