The synthesis of cellulose in cell-free extracts of Acetobacter xylinum.

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.’