The adhesion of Clostridium cellulolyticum spores and cells to Whatman
No. 1 filter paper was studied. A suspension of vegetative cells in e
xponential phase from a culture on cellobiose adhered at 60% whereas s
pores at the same initial concentration were bound to the Whatman filt
er paper at 90%. Adhesion of vegetative cellulolytic cells occurs on s
pecific cellulosic sites and reveals a sigmoid type II curve. Non-cell
ulolytic vegetative cells from Clostridium butyricum do not adhere to
the cellulose. Spore adhesion is a non-specific process since non-cell
ulolytic spores from Clostridium butyricum adhered almost in the same
range to filter paper than cellulolytic spores.