cellulose

(noun)

A complex carbohydrate that forms the main constituent of the cell wall in most plants and is important in the manufacture of numerous products, such as paper, textiles, pharmaceuticals, and explosives.

Related Terms

Examples of cellulose in the following topics:

  • The Rumen and Ruminant Animals

    • Specialized microbe species live in the rumen and help ruminants break down cellulose.
    • The plant matter consumed by ruminants is high in cellulose, but vertebrates cannot produce cellulase which is the enzyme required to break down cellulose.
    • Thus ruminants depend on the symbiotic microbes in their guts to break down cellulose for digestion.

  • Syntrophy and Methanogenesis

    • The protozoans break down the cellulose consumed by termites, and release hydrogen, which is then used in methanogenesis .
    • The protozoans break down cellulose, releasing H2 which is then used in methanogenesis.

  • Cooperation Among Microorganisms

    • These animals eat cellulose which is broken down by the protozoa to obtain energy.
    • The protozoans break down cellulose, releasing H2 which is then used in methanogenesis.

  • Northern Blots

    • Eukaryotic mRNA can then be isolated through the use of oligo (dT) cellulose chromatography to isolate only those RNAs with a poly(A) tail.

  • Actinobacteria (High G + C Gram-Positive Bacteria)

    • Actinobacteria include some of the most common soil life, freshwater life, and marine life, playing an important role in decomposition of organic materials, such as cellulose and chitin, and thereby playing a vital part in organic matter turnover and carbon cycle.

  • Virus Attachment and Genome Entry

    • Plants have a rigid cell wall made of cellulose, and fungi one of chitin, so most viruses can get inside these cells only after trauma to the cell wall.

  • Overview of Gram-Positive Bacteria and Actinobacteria

    • Actinobacteria include some of the most common soil life, freshwater life, and marine life, playing an important role in the decomposition of organic materials, such as cellulose and chitin; thereby playing a vital part in organic matter turnover and carbon cycle.

  • Cell Walls of Archaea

    • Likewise, archaea do not produce walls of cellulose (as do plants) or chitin (as do fungi).

  • Precipitation Reactions

    • These can be performed in semisolid media such as agar or agarose, or non-gel support media such as cellulose acetate.

  • Filtration

    • Membrane filters used in production processes are commonly made from materials such as mixed cellulose ester or polyethersulfone.