title: Effect of beta-glucanases on Penicillium oxalicum cell wall fractions.
abstract: The polysaccharidic effect of a purified 1,3-beta-glucanase, a purified beta-glucosidase, and of partially purified endo-1,3-beta-glucanase from autolysed Penicillium oxalicum cultures on cell wall isolate fractions from the same fungus were studied. Fractionation of 5-day-old cell wall gave rise to a series of fractions that were identified using infrared spectrophotometry. The fractions used were: F1, an alpha-glucan; F3, a beta-glucan; F4, a chitin-glucan; and F4b, a beta-glucan. The fractions were incubated with each of the enzymes and with a mixture of equal parts of the three enzymes and the products of the enzymatic hydrolysis were analyzed after 96 h incubation. The enzymes were found to degrade fraction F4b (beta-glucan); the greatest degree of hydrolysis was reached when the three enzymes were used together, suggesting the need for synergic action by these enzymes in the cell wall degradation process.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Universidad Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Copa-Patiño
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Reyes
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Pérez-Leblic
mesh_terms: D002473:Cell Wall / Q000187:drug effects*; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D043326:Glucan 1,3-beta-Glucosidase; D004693:Glucan Endo-1,3-beta-D-Glucosidase / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006868:Hydrolysis; D010407:Penicillium / Q000201:enzymology*; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared; D001617:beta-Glucosidase / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D001617:beta-Glucosidase; D004693:Glucan Endo-1,3-beta-D-Glucosidase; D043326:Glucan 1,3-beta-Glucosidase