title: The composition of the cell wall of Fusicoccum amygdali.
abstract: 1. The cell wall of Fusicoccum amygdali consisted of polysaccharides (85%), protein (4-6%), lipid (5%) and phosphorus (0.1%). 2. The main carbohydrate constituent was d-glucose; smaller amounts of d-glucosamine, d-galactose, d-mannose, l-rhamnose, xylose and arabinose were also identified, and 16 common amino acids were detected. 3. Chitin, which accounted for most of the cell-wall glucosamine, was isolated in an undegraded form by an enzymic method. Chitosan was not detected, but traces of glucosamine were found in alkali-soluble and water-soluble fractions. 4. Cell walls were stained dark blue by iodine and were attacked by alpha-amylase, with liberation of glucose, maltose and maltotriose, indicating the existence of chains of alpha-(1-->4)-linked glucopyranose residues. 5. Glucose and gentiobiose were liberated from cell walls by the action of an exo-beta-(1-->3)-glucanase, giving evidence for both beta-(1-->3)- and beta-(1-->6)-glucopyranose linkages. 6. Incubation of cell walls with Helix pomatia digestive enzymes released glucose, N-acetyl-d-glucosamine and a non-diffusible fraction, containing most of the cell-wall galactose, mannose and rhamnose. Part of this fraction was released by incubating cell walls with Pronase; acid hydrolysis yielded galactose 6-phosphate and small amounts of mannose 6-phosphate and glucose 6-phosphate as well as other materials. Extracellular polysaccharides of a similar nature were isolated and may be formed by the action of lytic enzymes on the cell wall. 7. About 30% of the cell wall was resistant to the action of the H. pomatia digestive enzymes; the resistant fraction was shown to be a predominantly alpha-(1-->3)-glucan. 8. Fractionation of the cell-wall complex with 1m-sodium hydroxide gave three principal glucan fractions: fraction BB had [alpha](D) +236 degrees (in 1m-sodium hydroxide) and showed two components on sedimentation analysis; fraction AA(2) had [alpha](D) -71 degrees (in 1m-sodium hydroxide) and contained predominantly beta-linkages; fraction AA(1) had [alpha](D) +40 degrees (in 1m-sodium hydroxide) and may contain both alpha- and beta-linkages.
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis; D000681:Amylases; D001089:Arabinose / Q000032:analysis; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000032:analysis*; D002686:Chitin / Q000032:analysis; D005658:Fungi / Q000032:analysis*; D005690:Galactose / Q000032:analysis; D005944:Glucosamine / Q000032:analysis; D005947:Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases; D006600:Hexosephosphates / Q000032:analysis; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis; D008358:Mannose / Q000032:analysis; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000032:analysis; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000032:analysis; D011402:Pronase; D012210:Rhamnose / Q000032:analysis; D014994:Xylose / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D006600:Hexosephosphates; D008055:Lipids; D010940:Plant Proteins; D011134:Polysaccharides; D002686:Chitin; D010758:Phosphorus; D014994:Xylose; D001089:Arabinose; D000681:Amylases; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases; D011402:Pronase; D005947:Glucose; D005944:Glucosamine; D008358:Mannose; D012210:Rhamnose; D005690:Galactose