Photoisomerization of a dye-altered β-1,4 glucan sheet induces the crystallization of a cellulose-composite

Dye-altered β-1,4 glucan sheets synthesized by the bacterium Acetobacter xylinum in the presence of the fluorescent brightener Tinopal LPW™ were induced to crystallize into cellulose microfibrils by a novel photoisomerization of the dye molecules. Reducing the rate of dye removal led to more uniform microfibril dimensions, narrower ribbon width, and a greater microfibril helical pitch. The induced microfibrils are theorized to represent a composite of parallel glucan chains with dye molecules intercalated and deforming the cellulose lattice. It is speculated that during cellulose synthesis in general, glucan minisheets could associate by a constriction in the extrusion pore of the cellulose synthase complexes.