CHARACTERIZATION OF THE CLEAVAGE OF BETA-GLUCOSIDIC LINKAGE BY TRICHODERMA-VIRIDE CELLULASE USING REGIOSELECTIVELY SUBSTITUTED METHYLCELLULOSES

Regioselectively substituted methylcelluloses having a uniform structure, 6-O-methylcellulose, was degraded by the cellulase of Trichoderma viride while 2,3-di-O-methylcellulose(2) was not. In contrast, a substrate having a trace amount of unsubstituted units in compound 2 was depolymerized by the cellulase, suggesting that glucosidic bonds between non-substituted and 2,3-di-O-substituted units were selectively cleaved.