THE BIOCHEMICAL NATURE OF THE CELL-ENVELOPE OF A HIGH CELLULASE-SECRETING MUTANT DIFFERS FROM THAT OF THE TRICHODERMA-REESEI WILD-TYPE

The main chemical components of the cell envelopes of a natural cellul ase-producing fungus, T reesei, and its high-yielding mutant were anal ysed. It was shown that the cell walls of the high cellulase-producing mutant contain less chitin than the wild type. There was also a notab le difference in the response of the alkali-soluble protein content of the mutant walls to cellulase-inducing conditions. In addition, while the amount of C18:2 fatty acid relative to total fatty acid was the s ame in the cell envelopes of the mutant and wild type, there was a mar ked difference in the relative amounts of the isomers of this fatty ac id in the two strains. These differences obtained may contribute to th e improved ability of the mutant strain to secrete enzyme proteins int o the culture medium.