Data obtained from the present study on bacteria show the
possibility of hypertwisting of cellulose fibrils upon disruption of
the cellulase gene. This may also apply to plant-based cellulases
such as KOR, although there are structural differences, such as the
lack of the plasma membrane-binding domain of KOR in CMCax
(40). In future studies, in order to further elucidate the functions
of cellulases, we will examine whether KOR or other cellulases,
such as the celC product in Agrobacterium, contribute to their own
cellulose synthesis (41) and whether celC can compensate for
CMCax in G. xylinus cellulose production.