Difference between Cellulose and Cellulase

Cellulose is the most abundant natural organic compound on earth. On average, cellulose accounts as 50% of the dry weight of plant biomass. It is the major structural homopolysaccharide in higher plants. It is made up of long linear chains of beta glucose units.

Cellulase is an enzyme that breaks down the cellulose molecule into monosaccharides such as beta-glucose. It is primarily produced by fungi, bacteria and protozoans.

The three types of reaction catalyzed by cellulases:

1. Breakage of the noncovalent interactions present in the amorphous structure of cellulose (endocellulase) 

2. Hydrolysis of chain ends to break the polymer into smaller sugars (exocellulase) 

3. Hydrolysis of disaccharides and tetrasaccharides into glucose (beta-glucosidase).

Cellulose vs Cellulase

Cellulose(C6H10O5)n	Cellulase
Cellulose is a carbohydrate (Polysaccharide)	Cellulase is an enzyme (Protein)
Made up of beta glucose units	Made up of amino acids
Beta glucose units (monomers) are joined by glycosidic bonds.	Peptide bonds between monomers
Fibrous in nature	Globular in nature
Ionic bonds, Disulphide bonds and Hydrophobic interactions are absent	Ionic bonds, Disulphide bonds and Hydrophobic interactions are present.
Alternate beta glucose rotated through 1800	No rotation of amino acids.