Hemicelluloses as structure regulators in the aggregation of native cellulose

The influence of hemicelluloses on the aggregation of cellulose in higher plant cell walls was modelled by adding hemicelluloses to cultures of the cellulose producer Acetobacter xylinum. Characterization of the celluloses by X-ray diffractometry showed them to be more like those that occur in higher plants; the coaggregation of the hemicelluloses suggests their occlusion within and between the crystalline domains of the celluloses. The authors propose that hemicelluloses may be primary moderators of the tertiary structure of cell wall celluloses, allowing the development of a wide range of properties.