Iowa State researcher studies how enzymes break down cellulose

This illustration shows the structure of an endoglucanase enzyme. The arrows indicate straight beta-strands. You can also see the twisted alpha-helices. Peter Reilly's lab discovered the enzyme's structure by producing and crystallizing the enzyme, shooting X-rays through it and analyzing the resulting diffraction pattern. This particular enzyme breaks down cellulose by attacking bonds in the middle of sugar chains. Credit: Peter Reilly/Iowa State University