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Appl Environ Microbiol. 1970 July; 20(1): 85-93
Copyright © 1970 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Resistance of Weathered Cotton Cellulose to Cellulase Action

Pioneering Research and Food Laboratories, U.S. Army Natick Laboratories, Natick, Massachusetts 01760

ABSTRACT

Increased resistance of weathered cotton cellulose to microbial breakdown has been shown to be the result of development of resistance to the action of fungal cellulases. Photochemical activity during weathering exposure transforms the cellulose into an altered substrate that prevents access of the enzymes to susceptible sites of the cellulose molecule. It is postulated that the altered substrate consists of cellulose molecules of low degrees of polymerization, with some ring openings and altered chain ends. Weathered cellulose fails to adsorb cellulases.