CHEMICAL AND STRUCTURAL DIFFERENCES IN CELL-WALL POLYSACCHARIDES OF 2MONOKARYOTIC STRAINS AND THEIR RESULTING DIKARYON OF AGARICUS-BISPORUS

Compatible monokaryotic strains of Agaricus bisporus ATCC 36975 and 36 976 and the resulting dikaryon of their mating were grown in a liquid medium, and their respective cell walls were prepared. Significant dif ferences were not found in the gross chemical composition of the three hyphal types. However, the neutral carbohydrate composition of the co mplete walls and their fractions was found to be somewhat different in each strain. More consistent differences were encountered in the chem ical structure of the distinct polysaccharidic wall fractions in the t hree types of organisms. Some of these structural wall differences can be considered as characteristic markers for differentiating the mono- and dikaryotic types of A. bisporus.