THE SYNTHESIS OF CELLULOSE IN CELL-FREE EXTRACTS OF ACETOBACTER XYLINUM

Abstract

In a previous publication (2) evidence was presented that the synthesis of chitin in Neurospora crassa occurs by way of a glycosyl transfer from uridine diphosphate-N-acetylglucosamine.The similarity of the structure of chitin and cellulose suggested that a like mechanism may be operative in the biosynthesis of cellulose.It has been shown by Hestrin and Schramm (3) that non-viable lyophilized preparations of Acetobacter xylinum will produce cellulose from glucose in the presence of oxygen.While the work reported here was in progress, the preparation of a cell-free extract of A. xylinum capable of synthesizing cellulose from glucose and adenosine triphosphate was reported by Colvin (4) and also by Greathouse ( 5).Evidence will be presented in this communication that the glycosyl donor in the synthesis of cellulose by a cell-free preparation of A. xylinum is uridine diphosphoglucose.' EXPERIMENTAL