The cell wall of Fusarium oxysporum

Sugar analysis of isolated cell walls from three formae speciales of Fusari um oxysporum showed that they contained not only glucose and (N-acetyl)-glu cosamine, but also mannose, galactose, and uronic acids, presumably origina ting from cell wall glycoproteins. Cell wall glycoproteins accounted for 50 -60% of the total mass of the wall. X-ray diffraction studies showed the pr esence of alpha-1,3-glucan in the alkali-soluble cell wall fraction and of beta-1,3-glucan and chitin in the alkali-insoluble fraction. Electron micro scopy and lectin binding studies indicated that glycoproteins form an exter nal layer covering an inner layer composed of chitin and glucan. (C) 1999 A cademic Press.