Scientists discovered the structure of the enzyme that makes cellulose, potentially opening the path to easier ways to break down cellulose to make biofuels or to modify cellulose to retain dyes more readily in clothing, said Purdue University. Cellulose is made of several dozen strands of glucose sugars that are linked into a cable-like structure and condensed into a crystal. Cellulose is rigid, so plants, such as trees, stand up. The Purdue team used X-ray scattering to determine the structure of cellulose synthase, the enzyme that is the basic unit of a protein that makes cellulose.
“Determining the shape of cellulose synthase and how it fits together into the protein complex represents a significant advance in understanding how these plant enzymes work,” said Nichola Carpita, plant biology professor. With the new information, he said, the structure of cellulose could be redesigned to meet needs for biofuels or for textiles. Cellulose is the base for cotton and other natural fibers.
The research was published in the journal The Plant Cell and is available here.