Solubility of (1-3)- -d/(1-6)- -D-Glucan in Fungal Walls: Importance of Presumed Linkage between Glucan and Chitin

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Abstract
In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Neurospora crassa, Aspergillus nidulans and Coprinus cinereus most of the alkali-insoluble (1 .fwdarw. 3)-.beta.-D/(1 .fwdarw. 6)-.beta.-D-glucan of the wall can be extracted with dimethyl sulphoxide. The same fraction, and in S. cerevisiae a small additional fraction, can be extracted by a destructive procedure involving 40% NaOH at 100.degree. C. The small fraction of the glucan which resists this treatment becomes soluble after a subsequent treatment with HNO2 indicating that it is covalently linked to chitin in the wall. In contrast, in Schizophyllum commune and Agaricus bisporus, nearly all the (1 .fwdarw. 3)-.beta.-D/(1 .fwdarw. 6)-.beta.-D-glucan appears to be held insoluble by linkage to chitin.