Abstract
AbstractMeasurement of the yield of cellulose in glucose‐containing cultures of Acetobacter acetigenum as a function of inoculum size and growth time has suggested a general physical mechanism of cellulose synthesis. The physical mechanism is that a certain number of chain initiators, or primers, are produced by each bacterium which then add on monomer units to form cellulose. Models for the synthesis, within the proposed physical mechanism, are described and examined in the light of DP measurements made on cellulose grown for different times. The model in which the average growing time of the chains is less than 40 min. is accepted; models invlving nonterminated chains and chains terminated at cell division are rejected. The DP measurements were made by a viscometric technique which permitted the use of never‐dried cellulose samples. Dried samples and their nitrates were found to be insoluble in their usual solvents. The viscosity average DP of the cellulose was found to be 3500; the mean average generation time of A. acetigenum was found to be 270 min.
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