Abstract:Bacterial cellulose (BC) is the glucose polymer produced by bacterial metabolism. The bacterial cellulose synthase (BCS) is the key enzyme for catalyzing the formation of BC. The cooperation between different submits of BCS is necessary for the intracellular formation and extracellular secretion of BC. This review summarized the BC-producing strains and the differences of BCS among different strains. Furthermore, we detailed the BC synthesis mechanism, the interactions between BCS subunits, and the relationship between the structural characteristics of strains and the formation of highly ordered fiber structures. A comprehensive insight into the mechanism of BC synthesis and secretion will supply more strategies for optimizing the BC synthesis via methods of synthetic biology.