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A yellow affinity substance involved in the cellulolytic system ofClostridium thermocellum

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Abstract

Clostridium thermocellum produces a yellow substance when fermenting cellulose. This substance is attached to the cellulose particles. Cellulose with the yellow substance, obtained from cultures ofC. thermocellum, binds effectively endo-1,4-β-glucanase produced by the bacterium and was used in an affinity column for purification of the enzyme. At the beginning of fermentation of cellulose, most of the endoglucanase was bound to the yellow cellulose. As the fermentation proceeded, the enzyme appeared free in the culture fluid. The endoglucanase bound to the yellow cellulose could be extracted by distilled water from the cellulose, but not by solutions with 5 mM or higher concentrations of salts or buffers. It is proposed that the yellow substance is involved in the cellulolytic system ofC. thermocellum.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Swedish Forest Products Research Laboratory, Box 5604, S-114 86, Stockholm, Sweden

    Bert Pettersson & Karl-Erik Eriksson

  2. Center for Biological Resource Recovery, University of Georgia, 30602, Athens, Georgia, USA

    Lars G. Ljungdahl & Jürgen Wiegel

Authors
  1. Lars G. Ljungdahl
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  2. Bert Pettersson
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  3. Karl-Erik Eriksson
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  4. Jürgen Wiegel
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Ljungdahl, L.G., Pettersson, B., Eriksson, KE. et al. A yellow affinity substance involved in the cellulolytic system ofClostridium thermocellum . Current Microbiology 9, 195–199 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01567580

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