Which morphological forms of the fungus Aureobasidium pullulans are responsible for pullulan production?
Attempts were made to clarify the precise location and possible site of production of the alpha-glucan pullulan in different morphological forms of the fungus Aureobasidium pullulans. Gold-conjugated pullulanase was used as the specific probe for this purpose. No cell wall pullulan-like material was detected by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in any morphological form of this fungus, although intracellular electron transparent material bound this probe. When silver enhancement of this gold-conjugated pullulanase probe was used, the data strongly suggested that only swollen cells and chlamydospores, and neither hyphae nor unicellular blastospores, often held responsible for pullulan formation, appeared to produce pullulan-like material.
Campbell
Bradley S
BS
Biotechnology Research Centre, La Trobe University, Bendigo, Vic. 3552, Australia.
Siddique
Abu-Baker M
AB
McDougall
Barbara M
BM
Seviour
Robert J
RJ
D001203:Ascomycota / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005936:Glucans / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases; D017979:Gold Colloid; D025301:Hyphae / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure
D005936:Glucans; D017979:Gold Colloid; C009109:pullulan; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases; C100181:pullulanase