Accumulation of Cello-oligosaccharides during Bacterial Cellulose Production by Acetobacter xylinum

Abstract

Acetobacter xylinum ATCC23769 produces not only cellulose but also various oligosaccharides during cell growth. These oligosaccharides accumulated and increased gradually up to about half the amount of cellulose with the increase of endo-1,4-α-glucanases activity in culture broth. These oligosaccharides were identified cello-oligosaccharides, gentiobiose and rhamnose, which were constituent sugars of acetan. It is suggested that they are the degradation products from acetan, as enzymes prepared from culture broth hydrolyzed acetan rather than cellulose.