Cellulose synthesis by Acetobacter xylinum. II. Investigation into the relation between cellulose synthesis and cell envelope components.

Cell envelope fractions, capable of cellulose synthesis from uridine diphosphate glucose, alpha-glucose-1-phosphate, glucose-6-phosphate and glucose, have been isolated from Acetobacter xylinum suspensions and various enzymatic properties examined. Essential enzymes were found to be distributed throughout the cell envelope region, with both inner (cytoplasmic) and outer (cell wall) membranes contributing to cellulose synthesis. The central role of UDPG in cellulose synthesis was confirmed and the results indicated that the nucleoside diphosphate sugar functions solely in the cell envelope region of whole cells. A comparison of properties of the cell envelope system with those of different preparations used by other workers, suggested that the method of cell disruption may influence substrate specificity.