title: Stimulation of beta(1----3)glucan synthetase of various fungi by nucleoside triphosphates: generalized regulatory mechanism for cell wall biosynthesis.
abstract: Particulate fractions from the taxonomically diverse fungi Achlya ambisexualis, Hansenula anomala, Neurospora crassa, Cryptococcus laurentii, Schizophyllum commune, and Wangiella dermatitidis were found to catalyze the time-dependent incorporation of glucose from UDP-[14C]glucose into a water-insoluble material. The reaction was stimulated by bovine serum albumin. The product was characterized as beta(1----3)glucan on the basis of its resistance to alpha- and beta-amylase and susceptibility to beta(1----3)glucanase. With the exception of the preparation from A. ambisexualis, all others were stimulated by nucleoside triphosphates and their analogs. The best activators were GTP and guanosine 5'-(gamma-thio)triphosphate. It is concluded that the stimulation by nucleotides, previously found with the glucan synthetase of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is a regulatory mechanism that was well conserved during fungal evolution, presumably because of its importance in controlling cell wall biosynthesis and cell growth.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Szaniszlo
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cabib
mesh_terms: D002473:Cell Wall / Q000378:metabolism*; D005658:Fungi / Q000378:metabolism*; D005936:Glucans / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005964:Glucosyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D009711:Nucleotides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D005936:Glucans; D009711:Nucleotides; D005964:Glucosyltransferases; C040232:glucan synthase