BACTERIAL SYNTHESIS OF CELLULOSE: APPLICATION IN MEDICINE AS A PROMISING BIOMATERIAL

Komagateibacter xylinus produces bacterial cellulose (BC), an extracellular polymer that has been demonstrated to have a variety of qualities that make it naturally valuable as a next-generation biopolymer. The structure of BC is made up of glucose monomer units that cellulose synthase polymerizes into β-1-4 glucan chains, which form uniaxially oriented BC fibril bundles with a diameter of 3–8 nm. Chemically, BC and vegetative cellulose are the same. However, BC performs far better in biological applications, potable treatment, nano-filters, and functional applications when compared to other natural or synthetic equivalents. This superiority is primarily caused by the high degree of crystallinity, nano-fibrillar matrix, and chemical purity. When BC is used as a scaffold or carrier with other materials, distinctive and novel traits that are all related to BC's qualities can be seen. These characteristics, along with bacterial cellulose's general physicochemical advantages, make it a prime option for additional scientific investigation into the production of biopolymers. These characteristics include high tensile strength, high water-holding capacity, and microfibrillar matrices. With an emphasis on the use of BC as a next-generation wound dressing, this paper thoroughly examines a number of areas in which BC is being researched, from biological uses to electronic applications. This study aims to summarize and debate the latest developments in the use of bacterial cellulose, mostly in biomedicine but also in biotechnology.