Haigler C H, Brown R M, Benziman M
Science. 1980 Nov 21;210(4472):903-6. doi: 10.1126/science.7434003.
The fluorescent brightener, Calcofluor White ST, prevents the in vivo assembly of crystalline cellulose microfibrils and ribbons by Acetobacter xylinum. In the presence of more than 0.01 percent Calcofluor, Acetobacter continues to synthesize high-molecular-weight beta-1,4 glucans. X-ray crystallography shows that the altered product exhibits no detectable crystallinity in the wet state, but upon drying it changes into crystalline cellulose I. Calcofluor alters cellulose crystallization by hydrogen bonding with glucan chains. Synthesis of this altered product is reversible and can be monitored with fluorescence and electron microscopy. Use of Calcofluor has made it possible to separate the processes of polymerization and crystallization leading to the biogenesis of cellulose microfibrils, and has suggested that crystallization occurs by a cell-directed. self-assembly process in Acetobacter xylinum.
荧光增白剂碱性槐黄ST可阻止木醋杆菌在体内组装结晶纤维素微纤丝和带状物。在存在超过0.01%碱性槐黄的情况下，木醋杆菌继续合成高分子量的β-1,4-葡聚糖。X射线晶体学表明，改变后的产物在湿态下没有可检测到的结晶度，但干燥后会转变为结晶纤维素I。碱性槐黄通过与葡聚糖链形成氢键来改变纤维素结晶。这种改变后产物的合成是可逆的，并且可以通过荧光和电子显微镜进行监测。碱性槐黄的使用使得分离导致纤维素微纤丝生物合成的聚合和结晶过程成为可能，并表明在木醋杆菌中结晶是通过细胞导向的自组装过程发生的。
