ABSTRACT
KARL-LUDWIC SCHIMZ In s t i tu t f i ir B iotechnologie , Jiilich, Federal Republic o f Germany
I. INTRODUCTION
S tudies of cellulose b iodegradation a re im portan t from th e s ta n d point of basic re se a rc h [th e u tilization o f an inso lbule s u b s tra te which is th e most ab u n d an t of all b iopolym ers ( 1)] and commercial application [the p o ten tia l for cellulosic biomass to p a rtia lly sup p lan t dw indling fossil fuels as a source of fuels and oxychem icals ( 2 ,3 ) ] . Among cellulolytic o rgan ism s, one o f th e most in ten siv e ly s tu d ied g roups is th e mesophilic aerobic and facu lta tive ly anaerobic b a c te r ia .
