Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Composition of the cell wall and other fractions of the autolyzed yeast form of Histoplasma capsulatum

  • Published:
Mycopathologia et mycologia applicata Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Comparison of two strains ofHistoplasma capsulatum yielded data differing only in quantification, and the constituents observed and identified were galactose, glucose, mannose, glucosamine and amino acids.

A comparison of hydrochloric acid and formic acid hydrolyses ofH. capsulatum fractions indicated hydrochloric acid to be of more value than 88 per cent formic acid hydrolysis for composition analyses. The removal of formyl esters from formic acid hydrolysates was found necessary and was accomplished byN HCl hydrolysis for 30 min. Two derivative artifacts were observed with formic acid hydrolysis; D-1, which was refractory to subsequent HCl hydrolysis, and D-2, which disappeared after HCl hydrolysis. Another artifact, D-3, was observed with 6N HCl hydrolysis of histoplasma cell wall fractions. The following conditions of hydrolysis were found to be useful: (1) glucose release was measured after hydrolysis inN HCl for 4 hr; (2) glucosamine release was measured after hydrolysis in 6N HCl for 9 hr; (3) amino acid release was accomplished by 6N HCl hydrolysis for 18 hr; and (4), hexoses released were determined by gas liquid chromatography (GLC) after hydrolysis in bothN HCl and in 88 per cent formic acid for 24 hr, followed byN HCl for 30 min.

Several different types of carbohydrate polymers have been reported in the parasitic yeast form ofH. capsulatum. There is general agreement on the occurrence of amino acids as protein (8, 12, 13), chitin (7, 19) and several hexoses, including glucose and glucosamine, which are found in cell wall polymers (7, 8, 11–16, 19, 20, 24). The presence of uronic acid was also reported (14, 15), but not confirmed, by Domer, Hamilton & Harkin (8), and mannose was not found by all investigators (12).

We undertook a study of graded acid hydrolyses and of composition analysis of the autolysis products of the yeast form by various procedures in order to add further to the above information.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Anderson, K. L. & S. Marcus (1968) Sporulation characteristics of Histoplasma capsulatum. Mycopath. Mycol. Appl. 36: 179–187.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Anderson, K. L. & S. Marcus (1969) Variability in virulence of strains of Histoplasma capsulatum. Amer. Rev. Resp. Dis. 99: 608–609.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Applegarth, D. A. (1966) An unusual amino sugar derivative from the cell wall of Penicillium notatum. Nature 212: 434–435.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Applegarth, D. A. (1967) The cell wall of Penicillium notatum. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 120: 471–478.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Applegarth, D. A. & G. Bozoian (1967) Artefact of hydrolysis of glucosamine derivatives. Nature 215: 1328.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Bartnicki-Garcia, S. (1968) Cell wall chemistry, morphogenesis and taxonomy of fungi. Ann. Rev. Microbiol. 22: 87–108.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Blank F. (1954) On the cell walls of dimorphic fungi causing systemic infections. Can. J. Microbiol. 1: 1–5.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Domer, J. E., J. G. Hamilton & J. C. Harkin (1967) Comparative study of the cell walls of the yeastlike and mycelial phases of Histoplasma capsulatum. J. Bacteriol. 94: 466–474.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Huppert, M. &J. W. Bailey (1963) Immunodiffusion as a screening test for coccidioidomycosis serology. Sabouraudia 2: 284–291.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Kanetsuna, F., L. M. Carbonell, R. E. Moreno & J. Rodrigues (1969) Cell wall composition of the yeast and mycelial forms of Paracoccidioides braziliensis. J. Bacteriol. 97: 1036–1041.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Knight, R. A. & S. Marcus (1958) Polysaccharide skin test antigens derived from Histoplasma capsulatum and Blastomyces dermatitidis. Amer. Rev. Tuberc. Pulm. Dis. 77: 983–989.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Kobayashi, G. S. & P. L. Guiliacci (1967) Cell wall studies of Histoplasma capsulatum. Sabouraudia 5: 180–187.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Labzoffsky, N. A., J. B. Fischer & J. J. Hamys (1957) Studies on the antigenic structure of Histoplasma capsulatum. Can. J. Microbiol. 3: 975–985.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. McNall, E. G. (1962) Cell wall constituents of pathogenic fungi. In G. Dalldorf, Fungi and Fungeous Disease. Thomas, Springfield, Ill. p. 139–147.

    Google Scholar 

  15. McNall, E. G., L. J. Sorensen, V. D. Newcomer & T. H. Sternberg (1960) The role of specific antibodies and properdin in coccidioidomycosis. 34: 213–216.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Markowitz, H. (1964) Polysaccharide antigens from Histoplasma capsulatum. Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 115: 697–700.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Pappagianis, D., C. E. Smith, G. S. Kobayashi & M. T. Saito (1961) Studies of antigens from young mycelia of Coccidioides immitis. J. Infect. Dis. 108: 35–44.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Percival, E. (1963) Aldonic, uronic, oxaldonic, and ascorbic acids. In M. Florkin & E. H. Stotz, Comprehensive Biochemistry. Elsevier, New York. Vol. 5 Carbohydrates p. 10–95.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Pine, L., C. J. Boone & D. McLaughlin (1966) Antigenic properties of the cell wall and other fractions of the yeast form of Histoplasma capsulatum. J. Bacteriol. 91: 2158–2168.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Salvin, S. B. (1965) Constituents of the cell wall of the yeast phase of Histoplasma capsulatum. Amer. Rev. Resp. Dis. 92: 119–125.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Sawardeker, J. S., J. H. Sloneker & A. Jeanes (1965) Quantitative determination of monosaccharides as their alditol acetates by gas liquid chromatography. Analyt. Chem. 37: 1602–1604.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Steele, R. S., K. Brendel, E. Scheer & R. W. Wheat (1970) Ion-exchange separation and automated assay of complex mixtures of amino acids and hexosamines. Analyt. Biochem. 34: 206–225.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Timell, T. E., C. P. J. Glaudemans & A. L. Currie (1956) Spectrophotometric method for determination of sugars. Analyt. Chem. 28: 1916–1920.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Walter, J. E. & G. B. Price, Jr. (1968) Chemical serologic, and dermal hypersensitivity activities of two fractions of histoplasmin. Amer. Rev. Resp. Dis. 98: 474–479.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Westphal, O. & K. Jann (1965) Bacterial lipopolysaccharides; extraction with phenol-water and further applications of the procedure. In R. L. Whistler & M. L. Wolfrom ed. Methods in Carbohydrate Chemistry. Academic Press, N. Y. 5:83–91.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology and Public Health, California State University, 90032, Los Angeles, California

    Kenneth L. Anderson, Robert W. Wheat, Norman F. Conant & Winfred Clingenpeel

  2. Departments of Microbiology and Biochemistry, Duke University Medical Center, 27706, Durham, North Carolina

    Kenneth L. Anderson, Robert W. Wheat, Norman F. Conant & Winfred Clingenpeel

Authors
  1. Kenneth L. Anderson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Robert W. Wheat
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Norman F. Conant
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Winfred Clingenpeel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

This investigation was supported by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research Grants AI-08359 and AI-01659.

Supported by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Postdoctoral Fellowship 5-FO2-AI-32, 422.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Anderson, K.L., Wheat, R.W., Conant, N.F. et al. Composition of the cell wall and other fractions of the autolyzed yeast form of Histoplasma capsulatum. Mycopathologia et Mycologia Applicata 54, 439–451 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02050050

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02050050

Keywords

Search

Navigation