STRUCTURAL ORGANIZATION OF THE COMPONENTS OF THE CELL-WALL FROM CANDIDA-ALBICANS

The organization of the components of the cell wall from Candida albic ans was studied by means of sequential treatment with hot SDS, anhydro us ethylenediamine (EDA) and lytic enzymes. followed by chemical and m icroscopic analyses of the different separated fractions. The EDA-inso luble fraction retained the original morphology of the wall, which was destroyed by beta-glucanase, but not by chitinase treatments. Stainin g with fluorescent lectins revealed distinct distributions of mannopro teins, glucans and chitin in the wall. Amino acid analysis of SDS-extr acted walls, and the EDA-soluble and -resistant fractions gave similar results, with seven amino acids making up about 70% of the total prot ein weight. Treatment of the EDA-insoluble fraction with Zymolyase or chitinase released fragments of variable size whose susceptibility to these and other hydrolases suggests that they are made of glucan, chit in and mannan oligomers associated with proteins. Treatment of the Zym olyase-insoluble residue with chitinase released a series of low-molec ular-mass oligomers made of neutral sugars, GlcNAc and amino acids, ma inly lysine. It is suggested that they represent fragments of the core making up the scaffold of the cell wall of the fungus.