Supplementation of a Trichoderma longibrachiatum preparation to an industrial Aspergillus nigerl Talaromyces emersonii enzyme mixture demonstrated synergy for the saccharification of corn silage water-unextractable solids (WUS). Sub-fractions of the crude T. longibrachiatum preparation obtained after chromatography were analyzed regarding their hydrolytic activity. An acetyl xylan esterase 1 [Axel, carbohydrate esterase (CE) family 51-enriched sub-fraction closely mimicked the hydrolytic gain as obtained by supplementation of the complete, crude enzyme mixture (increase of 50%, 62% and 29% for Xyl, Ara and Glc, respectively). The acetic acid released from model polysaccharides (WUS) and oligosaccharides [neutral (AcXOS) and acidic (AcUXOS) xylo-oligosaccharides] by Axel was two and up to six times higher compared to the acetic acid released by acetyl xylan esterase A (AxeA, CE 1). Characterization of Axel treated AcX0S and AcUXOS revealed deacetylation of oligosaccharides that were not deacetylated by AxeA or the A. nigerIT. emersonii preparation. (c) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.