Sexual differentiation in Aspergillus nidulans: the requirement for manganese and its effect on alpha-1,3 glucan synthesis and degradation.
Aspergillus nidulans was grown on media with added amounts of manganese ranging from 0--2.5 muM. Manganese deficiency prevented cleistothecium development, although good vegetative growth was retained. Subsequent analysis of the mycelium produced under Mn2+ deficient growth revealed that alpha-1,3 glucan, the man carbon and energy source for fructification, was virtually absent from the cell wall. Several enzymes related to cell wall composition were investigated. Beta-1,3 glucanase, and very remarkably, alpha-1,3 glucanase reached about the same activity on the Mn2+ deficient and sufficient media, but amylase and protease were about 60 and 75% lower respectively on the Mn2+ deficient media and the correlation of these findings is discussed.
D000681:Amylases / Q000378:metabolism; D001233:Aspergillus nidulans / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000201:enzymology; D004693:Glucan Endo-1,3-beta-D-Glucosidase / Q000378:metabolism; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D008345:Manganese / Q000172:deficiency / Q000378:metabolism*; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D012733:Sex Differentiation; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000254:growth & development
D011134:Polysaccharides; D008345:Manganese; D000681:Amylases; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases; D004693:Glucan Endo-1,3-beta-D-Glucosidase; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases