Über die kinetik und den mechanismus der biosynthese der cellulose in den höheren pflanzen (nach versuchen an den samenhaaren der baumwolle)

Abstract The quantity of cellulose synthesized on growing cotton bolls and the corresponding degree of polymerisation have been measured as a function of time. It was found that the biosynthesis proceeds in two distinct stages, beginning with a slow process yielding the “primary” cellulose with a non-uniform degree of polymerisation of about 2000–6000 followed by a more rapid process yielding a large amount of “secondary cellulose” with a high and uniform degree of polymerisation of about 14000 (mol. wt. 2.3·106). During the second stage the degree of polymerisation is independent of time. It is shown that the two kinds of cellulose correspond to the primary and secondary cell wall. In orde…