New evidence for an intermediate polymer of glucose in cellulose biosynthesis by Acetobacter xylinum.

The results of sucrose-density-gradient centrifugation of a cell-free particulate enzyme system from Acetobacter xylinum which was incubated with uridine diphosphoglucose indicate that there is a polymeric intermediate in the biosynthesis of cellulose. This intermediate has the properties of an oligomer of glucose, is normally attached to the heaviest particle of the suspension, but, when released by hydrolysis, is preferentially adsorbed to fragments of preformed cellulose. It may form short segments of microfibrils when precipitated from alkaline solution by ethanol. The presence of this intermediate raises again the question of a primer in cellulose biosynthesis.