Changes in glucosamine and galactosamine levels during conidial germination in Neurospora crassa

Abstract

The levels of glucosamine and galactosamine were determined in conidia, germinating conidia, and vegetative mycelia of Neurospora crassa. In the vegetative mycelia about 90% of the amino sugars were shown to be components of the cell wall. The remaining 10% of the amino sugars were tentatively identified as the nucleotide sugars uridine diphospho-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-glucose and uridine diphospho-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-galactose. Conidia and vegetative mycelia contained about the same levels of glucosamine. During the first 9 h after the initiation of germination, the total glucosamine content had increased 3.1-fold, whereas the residual dry weight of the culture had increased 7.7-fold. This led to a drop in the glucosamine concentration from 100 Amol/g of residual dry weight to 42 ,mol/g. During this time, all of the conidia had germinated and

Lipid and cell wall changes in an inositol-requiring mutant of Neurospora crassa

“…The galactosamine and glucosamine contents were measured in hydrolysates of the mycelia and cell wall of the inl mutant grown on varying LIPID AND CELL WALL CHANGES 463 levels of inositol. In addition, measurements were made of the intracellular pools of uridine diphosphate-N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-N-acetyl glucosamine) and uridine diphosphate-N-acetylgalactosamine (UDP-N-acetyl galactosamine), the compounds shown by Edson and Brody to be the precursors of the glucosamine and galactosamnine polymers found in the cell wall in Neurospora (10,31). Both amino sugars, galactosamine and glucosamine, showed changes in their content in the inositol-deficient inl mutant.…”

“…The residues were suspended twice in distilled water and evaporated to dryness. The nucleotide sugars were extracted from the mycelia and chemically analyzed by the method of Schmit et al (31).…”

Biochemical genetics of Neurospora crassa conidial germination.

“…The residual dry weight (alcohol-insoluble material) was obtained in a separate experiment. In both experiments the conidia from the wildtype strain, RL3-8A, were incubated in shake cultures containing glucose minimal medium at 21 C. The procedures used have been described in detail (169). Symbols: 0, Percentage of conidia with germ tubes; 0, fold increase in residual dry weight; *, average length ofconidium plus germ tube.…”

“…Cell Wall Both conidial (113,115) and mycelial (116,169) cell walls have been isolated and fractionated. The cell walls from both types of cells contained 8-1,3-glucan, chitin, and protein (for review see reference 169).…”

A calcium binding protein from cell wall of Neurospora crassa

“…In light of this, the present study explores the presence of metal binding protein(s) in the cell wall of N. crassa. The method of Schmit et al [28] was followed with minor modification. Mycelia (10 g) harvested after 3 d growth was homogenized using mortar and pestle by gradual addition of 1% sodium dodecyl sulphate (up to 50 ml), and stirred for 4 h and kept under stationary conditions for 16 h between 2 -5 °C.…”