title: A calcium binding protein from cell wall of Neurospora crassa.
abstract: Isolated cell wall preparations of N. crassa bind significant levels of Ca, Mg and other divalent cations. Enzymatic treatment of the cell wall with beta-(1,3)-glucanase, but not with chitinase, resulted in solubilization of only the calcium-binding protein fraction. A calcium-binding protein (CaBP) was purified by metal-chelate affinity chromatography and reversed phase HPLC. CaBP has an Mr of around 6 kDa on SDS-PAGE and mass spectrometry showed that it has a molecular mass of 5744 Da. One mole of CaBP binds 2 moles of calcium and is partially inhibited (15-50%) by other divalent cations (Mg, Ni and Cu). Quenching of tryptophan fluorescence was observed upon copper binding but not calcium binding. This is a first report of a calcium binding protein from the cell wall of fungi.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Osmania University, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Thommandru Naga
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Sowjanya
authors.forename: Pamarthi Maruthi
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Mohan