MAPPING OF BETA-1,2-LINKED OLIGOMANNOSIDIC EPITOPES AMONG GLYCOCONJUGATES OF CANDIDA SPECIES

The distribution of beta-1,2-linked oligomannosides among glycoconjuga tes of various Candida species was investigated by Western blotting, u sing monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies which react with these epito pes. Expression of beta-1,2-linked oligomannosidic epitopes on a 14-18 kDa polydisperse antigen nonreactive with concanavalin A (ConA), prev iously identified as a C. albicans serotype A phospholipomannan (PLM), appeared to be restricted to C. albicans serotypes A and B (including var. C. stellatoidea types I and II) and C. tropicalis. In C. albican s, beta-1,2-linked oligomannosidic epitopes also appeared to be slight ly associated with high molecular mass (> 100 kDa) polydisperse ConA-r eactive mannoproteins. For all the other Candida strains investigated, belonging to the species C. parapsilosis, C. krusei, C. glabrata and C. robusta (S. cerevisiae), beta 1,2-linked oligomannosidic epitopes w ere found to be present in association with medium molecular mass (18- 100 kDa) and high molecular mass ConA-reactive mannoproteins, giving r eproducible labelling profiles that varied between species.