Cellulose-selective endo-enzymes

T ine structural studies on woody cell walls attacked by ectoenzymes of fungi in situ are numerous (cf. 1,2). In contrast, investigations on the selective degradation of cell walls by enzymes isolated from fungi are few. Jutte and Wardrop (3) attempted the use of crude commercial cellu-lase preparations to determine the degradation pattern of Valonia cellulose and beechwood fibers. Similar use of commercial preparations of enzymes was made by Reis and Roland (4) to evaluate the nature of diverse cell walls and to show the distribution of polysaccharides. An endo-/ -l,4-xylanase with specific xylanolytic activities was isolated from a commercial cellulase preparation using chromatographic methods and... 

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