MANNANS OF THE CELL-WALLS OF THE YEAST AND MYCELIAL FORMS OF CANDIDA-TROPICALIS

Yeast-mycelium dimorphism of Candida tropicalis is followed with the q uantitative changes in the chemical composition of the cell wall. The mycelial form contains twofold amount of the lipids and the increased amount of amino sugars and glucans in comparison with the yeast form o f the microorganism. The contents of the cellular mannans and glucans are significantly different in these two morphological forms. Both man nans, however, have very similar structure with the alpha-(1 --> 6)-gl ycosidically linked backbone, the sugar units of which are substituted in position 2 with the oligomannosidic side chains linked through alp ha-(1 --> 2)-glycosidic bonds. The mannan of the yeast form possesses relatively more longer side chains and contains unusual branching poin t in some side chains, i.e. the mannosyl unit disubstituted in positio ns 2 and 3.