Cellulose Degradation - Cellulose is a polymer of glucose and is the most abundant organic material in nature. It is however, resistant to decomposition. The annual production of cellulose is estimated to be about 100 X 109 tons.
A
large
number
of
bacteria,
fungi
and
actinomycetes
are
known
to
degrade
cellulose
.When
cellulose
is
associated
with
pentosans
such
as
xylans
and
mannans
it
undergoes
rapid
decomposition.
On
the
other
hand,
when
associated
with
lignin,
the
decomposition
rate
is
very
slow.
The
degradation
of
cellulose
is
by
enzymes
and
the
enzyme
system
that
converts
cellulose
to
glucose
consists
of
at
least
three
enzymes,
an
exoglucanase,
an
endoglucanase
and
a β-glucosidase
(cellulase
complex).
Index >>Mineral Transformation in Soil >>Cellulose Degradation
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