respectively for wet and dry BC pellicles and 0.5 g and 15 mg respectively for a single wet and dry BC bead. The difference between the weights of wet and dry form of BC was mainly due to the water absorbed in wet BC. After incubation, the cellulose samples were washed in deionized water and digested by incubation with cellulase (100 mL/1 mL 0.05 M citrate buffer, pH 4.8, SigmaeAldrich)