Polysaccharide of moving animals. Cellulose and chitin are examples of structural polysaccharides. Cellulose is used in the cell walls of plants and other organisms, and is said to be the most abundant organic molecule on Earth. It has many uses such as a significant role in the paper and textile industries, and is used as a feedstock for the production of rayon (via the viscose process), cellulose acetate, celluloid, and nitrocellulose. Chitin has a similar structure, but has nitrogen-containing side branches, increasing its strength. It is found in arthropod exoskeletons and in the cell walls of some fungi. It also has
Cellulose synthase (UDP-forming) Cellulose synthase (UDP-forming) In enzymology, a cellulose synthase (, "UDP-glucose:(1→4)-β--glucan 4-β--glucosyltransferase") is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction Thus, the two substrates of this enzyme are UDP-glucose and [(1→4)-β--glucosyl], whereas its two products are UDP and [(1→4)-β--glucosyl]. This enzyme is involved in the synthesis of cellulose. A similar enzyme utilizes GDP-glucose, cellulose synthase (GDP-forming) (EC 2.4.1.29). Cellulose is an aggregation of unbranched polymer chains made of β-(1→4)-linked glucose residues that makes up a large portion of primary and secondary cell walls. Although important for plants, it is also synthesized by most algae, some bacteria, and some animals. Worldwide, 2