Cell wall carbohydrates in Phycomyces blakeslesanus Burgeff

The carbohydrate composition of the cell walls from spores, mycelium and sporangiophores of Phycomyces blakesleeanus was analyzed. Spore wall polysaccharides contained over 50% glucose, about 20% uronic acids, 10% mannose and 10% amino-sugars. During the growth of the hyphae amino-sugars became the main carbohydrate (45%); uronic acids contributed some 25%, glucose and fructose 10% and galactose nearly 6%. Sporangiophores contained almost 90% aminosurgars and some 6% uronic acids. Traces of rhamnose were found in all wall preparations. A similar picture emerged from studies on the incorporation of [U-14C]-glucose into wall materials. Furthermore we looked for a GDP-fucose synthesizing system and found an increasing activity during early germination. This rise in activity was inhibited by cycloheximide but only by 5-fluorouracil.