Xyloglucan in cellulose modification Qi Zhou Æ Mark W. Rutland Æ Tuula T. Teeri Æ Harry Brumer Received: 24 September 2006 / Accepted: 6 January 2007 / Published online: 28 January 2007 Ó Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2007 Abstract Xyloglucans are the principal poly- saccharides coating and crosslinking cellulose microfibrills in the majority of land plants. This review summarizes current knowledge of xylo- glucan structures, solution properties, and the mechanism of interaction of xyloglucans with cellulose. This knowledge base forms the plat- form for new biomimetic methods of cellulose surface modification with applications within the fields of textile manufacture, papermaking, and materials science. Recent advances using the enzyme xyloglucan endo-transglycosylase (XET, EC 2.4.1.207) to introduce varied chemical functionality onto cellulose surfaces are high- lighted. Keywords Atomic force microscopy (AFM) Á Biocomposite Á Biomimetic Á Colloidal probe Á Surface modification Á XTH Á Xyloglucan Á Xyloglucan endo-transglycosylase (XET) Abbreviations ATRP Atom transfer radical polymerization CIN Cinnamoyl DMAP 4,4-Dimethylaminopyridine DMF N,N-dimethylformamide EDC N-ethyl-N¢-(3- dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide ELISA Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay FITC Fluorescein isothiocyanate INI Initiator NMP Nitroxide-mediated polymerization OBA Optical brightening agent PCL Poly(e-caprolactone) PLLA Poly(L-lactic acid) PMDETA N,N,N¢,N¢¢,N¢¢- pentamethyldiethylenetriamine RAFT Reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer ROP Ring-opening polymerization SR Sulforhodamine TKP Tamarind kernel powder XET Xyloglucan endo-transglycosylase (EC 2.4.1.207) XG Xyloglucan XG-R Chemically modified xyloglucan Q. Zhou Á T. T. Teeri Á H. Brumer (&) School of Biotechnology, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), AlbaNova University Centre, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden e-mail: harry@biotech.kth.se M. W. Rutland School of Chemistry, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), 100 44 Stockholm, Sweden M. W. Rutland Institute for Surface Chemistry, Box 5607, 114 86 Stockholm, Sweden 123 Cellulose (2007) 14:625–641 DOI 10.1007/s10570-007-9109-0