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Updated: Jul 7, 2026

Fluorescence Live-cell Imaging of the Complete Vegetative Cell Cycle of the Slow-growing Social Bacterium Myxococcus xanthus

Fluorescence Live-cell Imaging of the Complete Vegetative Cell Cycle of the Slow-growing Social Bacterium Myxococcus xanthus

Published on: June 20, 2018

Bacterium organizes hierarchical amorphous structure in microbial cellulose.

S Koizumi¹, Z Yue, Y Tomita

¹Advanced Science Research Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Ibaraki, Tokai, Japan. koizumi.satoshi@jaea.go.jp

The European Physical Journal. E, Soft Matter

|March 4, 2008

Summary

Microbial cellulose, a gel film of microbial cellulose, exhibits a hierarchical amorphous structure. Ultra-small-angle neutron scattering reveals this structure is a mass fractal, with 90% of the cellulose bundle occupied by amorphous cellulose and water.

More Related Videos

Bacterial Cellulose Spheres that Encapsulate Solid Materials

Bacterial Cellulose Spheres that Encapsulate Solid Materials

Published on: February 26, 2021

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Last Updated: Jul 7, 2026

Fluorescence Live-cell Imaging of the Complete Vegetative Cell Cycle of the Slow-growing Social Bacterium Myxococcus xanthus

Fluorescence Live-cell Imaging of the Complete Vegetative Cell Cycle of the Slow-growing Social Bacterium Myxococcus xanthus

Published on: June 20, 2018

Bacterial Cellulose Spheres that Encapsulate Solid Materials

Bacterial Cellulose Spheres that Encapsulate Solid Materials

Published on: February 26, 2021

Area of Science:

Materials Science
Biophysics
Polymer Science

Background:

Microbial cellulose pellicles are primarily water (99% by weight), forming a gel film with an amorphous structure.
The synthesis of microbial cellulose by bacteria like Acetobacter xylinum results in a complex supermolecular system.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the hierarchical amorphous structure of microbial cellulose across multiple length scales (nm to 10 microm).
To characterize the fractal nature of microbial cellulose using ultra-small-angle neutron scattering.

Main Methods:

Ultra-small-angle neutron scattering (USANS) was employed to analyze microbial cellulose structure.
Analysis of scattering data to determine power law behavior (q^-alpha) as a function of scattering vector magnitude (q).

Main Results:

The scattering data exhibited power law behavior, indicating a mass fractal structure attributed to crystallite distribution in swollen amorphous cellulose.
The exponent alpha varied with increasing q, corresponding to different structural levels: gel network (2.5), bundle (1), and intra-bundle fluctuations (2.35).
The volume fraction of crystallites was evaluated, revealing that 90% of the cellulose bundle consists of amorphous cellulose and water.

Conclusions:

Microbial cellulose possesses a hierarchical mass fractal structure that can be elucidated by USANS.
The study quantifies the amorphous content within microbial cellulose, highlighting the significant role of water in its structure.