Plant cellulose has a hierarchical structure with hemicelluloses and lignin in cell walls, forming natural composites at the nanometer/micrometer levels. The smallest elements next to cellulose molecules are cellulose microfibrils ~3 nm and several microns in width and length, respectively (Fig. 1). Each cellulose microfibril consists of 30-40 fully extended cellulose chains, and forms crystall...

Bacterial cellulose (BC) produced by certain bacteria has the potential to be used in many different areas. Despite its advantageous properties compared plant cellulose, such as high purity, mechanical strength, nanofiber mesh structure, and high-water holding capacity, production through a biotechnological process prevents it from competing with counterparts terms of cost-effectiveness. Theref...

The role of a miniscaffolding protein, miniCipC1, forming part of Clostridium cellulolyticum scaffolding protein CipC in insoluble cellulose degradation was investigated. The parameters of the binding of miniCipC1, which contains a family III cellulose-binding domain (CBD), a hydrophilic domain, and a cohesin domain, to four insoluble celluloses were determined. At saturating concentrations, ab...

................................................................................................................................... iii List of publications .................................................................................................................. iv List of publications not included in this thesis ....................................................................... v...