Ultrastructural and Chemical Investigations on the Cell Wall Architecture of Epidermophyton Floccosum

Abstract
The chemical and ultrastructural architecture of the cell wall of Epidermophyton floccosum was investigated by extraction of the purified cell walls with alkali and/or acid, then by analysing the residues and extracts by gas liquid chromatography, X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. The cell wall of E. floccosum appeared to be two layers: microfibrils and an amorphous matrix. The microfibrils as observed here are composed of chitin and a glucan in the core, and an alkali-insoluble, acidsoluble polysaccharide enveloping the chitin core. The amorphous matrix was also observed as a fine granular material, which is an alkali-soluble, 4 N-acetic acid-insoluble polysaccharide containing glucose, mannose and galactose. A schematic model of the cell wall is proposed and discussed.

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