Skip to main content

The Role of Chitin in Hyphal Morphogenesis

  • Chapter
Chitin in Nature and Technology

Abstract

Chitin is a structural component present in the wall of all fungi except the Oomycetes where cellulose plays a similar role. It is usually considered to be present as microfibrils, consisting of crystalline chitin embedded in an amorphous matrix (1), because most electronmicroscopical and X-ray diffraction studies show microfibrillar and crystalline chitin. However these results were usually obtained after drastic chemical treatĀ¬ments of the wall and induction of crystallisation and microfibril formation by these treatments remains a possibility (2).

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

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. G. W. Gooday and A. P. J. Trinci, Wall structure and biosynthesis in fungi, in: ā€œThe eukaryotic microbial cell. Soc. Gen. Micro-biol. Symp. 30ā€, G. W. Gooday, D. Lloyd and A. P. J. Trinci, eds., Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (1980).

    Google ScholarĀ 

  2. J. G. H. Wessels and J. H. Sietsma, Fungal cell walls: A survey, in: ā€œEncyclopedia of Plant Physiology, Vol 13Bā€, W. Tanner and F. A. Loewus. eds., Springer Verlag, Berlin (1981).

    Google ScholarĀ 

  3. J. H. Sietsma and J. G. H. Wessels, Solubility of (l-3)-Ɵ-D/(l-6)-Ɵ-D-glucan in fungal walls: Importance of presumed linkage between glucan and chitin. J. Gen. Microbiol. 125:209 (1981).

    PubMedĀ  CASĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  4. J. H. Sietsma and J. G. H. Wessels, Evidence for covalent linkages between chitin and (3-glucan in a fungal wall. J. Gen. Microbiol. 114:99 (1979).

    CASĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  5. L. L. Davis and S. Bartnicki-Garcia. Chitosan synthesis by the tandem action of chitin synthetase and chitin deacetylase from Mucor rouxii. Biochem. 23:1065 (1984).

    ArticleĀ  CASĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  6. R. Datema, J. G. H. Wessels and H. van der Ende, The hyphal wall of Mucor mucedo. Eur. J. Biochem. 80:621 (1977).

    ArticleĀ  PubMedĀ  CASĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  7. J. G. H. Wessels and J. H. Sietsma, Cell wall synthesis and hyphal morphogenesis: A new model for apical growth. In: ā€œCell walls f81ā€, D. G. Robinson and H. Quader, eds., Wissenschaftliche VerlagsĀ¬gesellschaft, Stuttgart (1981).

    Google ScholarĀ 

  8. J. Jelsma and D. R. Kreger. Ultrastructural observations on (l-3)-(3-D-glucan from fungal cell walls. Carbohydr. Res. 43:200 (1975).

    ArticleĀ  PubMedĀ  CASĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  9. R. H. Marchessault and Y. Deslandes, Fine structure of (l-3)-Ɵ-D-glucans: curdlan and paramylon. Carbohydr. Res. 75:231 (1979).

    ArticleĀ  CASĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  10. J. H. Sietsma and J. G. H. Wessels, Chemical analysis of the hyphal wall of Schizophyllum commune. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 496:225 (1977).

    PubMedĀ  CASĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  11. P. van der Valk, R. Marchant and J. G. H. Wessels, Ultrastructural localization of polysaccharides in the wall and septum of the basidiomycete Schizophyllum commune. Exp. My col. 1 :69 (1977).

    Google ScholarĀ 

  12. J. G. H. Wessels, J. H. Sietsma and A. S. M. Sonnenberg, Wall synthesis and assembly during hyphal morphogenesis in Schizophyllum commune. J. Gen. Microbiol. 129:1607 (1983).

    CASĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  13. A. S. M. Sonnenberg, J. H. Sietsma and J. G. H. Wessels, Biosynthesis of alkali-insoluble cell wall glucan in Schizophyllum commune protoplasts. J. Gen. Microbiol. 128:2667 (1982).

    CASĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  14. P. van der Valk and J. G. H. Wessels, Ultrastructure and localization of wall polymers during regeneration and reversion of protoplasts of Schizophyllum commune. Protoplasma 90:65 (1976).

    ArticleĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  15. P. van der Valk and J. G. H. Wessels, Light and electron microscopic autoradiography of cell wall regeneration by Schizophyllum commune protoplasts. Acta Bot. Neerl. 26:43 (1977).

    Google ScholarĀ 

  16. A. Duran, B. Bowers and E. Cabib, Chitin synthetase zymogen is attached to the yeast plasma membrane. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sei. 72: 3952 (1975).

    ArticleĀ  CASĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  17. C. A. Vermeulen, M. B. J. M. Raeven and J. G. H. Wessels. Localization of chitin synthase activity in subcellular fractions of Schizophyllum commune protoplasts. J. Gen. Microbiol. 114:87 (1979).

    CASĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  18. E. Cabib, A. Duran and B. Bowers, Localized activation of chitin synthetase in the initiation of yeast septum formation. In: ā€œFungal walls and hyphal growthā€, J. H. Burnett and A. P. J. Trinci eds., Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (1979).

    Google ScholarĀ 

  19. S. Bartnicki-Garcia, C. E. Bracker, E. Reyes and J. Ruiz-Herrera, Isolation of chitosomes from taxonomically diverse fungi and synthesis of chitin microfibrils in vitro. Exp. Mycol. 2:173 (1978).

    ArticleĀ  CASĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  20. C. E. Bracker, J. Ruiz-Herrera and S. Bartnicki-Garcia, Structure and transformation of chitin synthase particles (chitosomes) during microfibril synthesis in vitro. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 73:4570 (1976).

    ArticleĀ  PubMedĀ  CASĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  21. J. Hernandez, E. Lopez-Romero, J. Cerbon, J. Ruiz-Herrera, Lipid analysis of chitosomes, chitin synthesizing micro vesicles from Mucor rouxii. Exp. Mycol. 5:349 (1981).

    ArticleĀ  CASĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  22. R. Sentandreu, A. Martinez-Ramon and J. Ruiz-Herrera, Localization of chitin synthase in Mucor rouxii by an autoradiographic method. J. Gen. Microbiol. 130:J 193193 (1984).

    Google ScholarĀ 

  23. S. Bartnicki-Garcia and C. E. Bracker, Unique properties of chitosomes, in: Microbial cell wall synthesis and autolysisā€™1, C. Nombela, ed., Elsevier Science Publishers, Amsterdam (1984).

    Google ScholarĀ 

  24. D. M. Rast and S. Bartnicki-Garcia, Effects of amphotericin B, nystatin and other polyene antibiotics on chitin synthase. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 78:1233 (1981).

    ArticleĀ  PubMedĀ  CASĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  25. M. B. J. M. Raeven, Biosynthesis of chitin in fungi. Thesis University of Groningen (1981).

    Google ScholarĀ 

  26. A. Duran and E. Cabib, Solubilization and parial purification of yeast chitin synthetase. Conformation of the zymogenic nature of the enzyme. J. Biol. Chem. 253:4419 (1978).

    CASĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  27. C. A. Vermeulen and J. G. H. Wessels, Evidence for a phospholipid requirement of chitin synthase in Schizophyllum commune. Curr. Microbiol. 8:67 (1983).

    ArticleĀ  CASĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  28. E. Cabib, B. Bowers and R. L. Roberts, Vectorial synthesis of a polysaccharide by isolated plasma membranes. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 80: 3318 (1983).

    ArticleĀ  PubMedĀ  CASĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  29. D. H. Wolf and C. Ehmann, Studies on a proteinase B mutant of yeast. Eur. J. Biochem. 98:375 (1979).

    ArticleĀ  PubMedĀ  CASĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  30. G. S. Zubenko, A. P. Mitchell and E. W. Jones, Septum formation, cell division and sporulation in mutants of yeast deficient in proteinase B. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 76:2395 (1979).

    ArticleĀ  PubMedĀ  CASĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  31. J. Ruiz-Herrera and S. Bartnicki-Garcia, Proteolytic activation and inactivation of chitin synthetase from Mucor rouxii. J. Gen. Microbiol. 97:241241 (1976).

    PubMedĀ  CASĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  32. D. Katz and R. F. Rosenberger, Hyphal wall synthesis in Aspergillus nidulans: effect of protein synthesis inhibitor and osmotic shock on chitin insertion and morphogenesis. J. Bact. 108:184 (1971).

    PubMedĀ  CASĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  33. E. Lopez-Romero, S. Bartnicki-Garcia and J. Ruiz-Herrera. Purification of inhibitory protein of chitin synthase from Mucor rouxii. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 525:338 (1978).

    PubMedĀ  CASĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  34. G. D. Craig, J. M. Campbell and J. F. Peberdy, Endogenous chitin synthase inhibitor in Aspergillus nidulans. Trans. Br. Mycol. Soc. 7:579 (1981).

    ArticleĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  35. E. Lopez-Romero, J. Ruiz-Herrera and S. Bartnicki-Garcia, The inhibitory protein of chitin synthetase from Mucor rouxii is a chitinase. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 702:233 (1982).

    ArticleĀ  PubMedĀ  CASĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  36. R. M. Brown Jr. and D. Montezinos, Cellulose microfibrils: Visualization of biosynthetic and orienting complexes in association with the plasma membrane. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 73:143 (1976).

    ArticleĀ  PubMedĀ  CASĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  37. N. A. R. Gow. Transhyphal electrical currents in fungi. J. Gen. Microbiol. 130:3313 (1984).

    PubMedĀ  CASĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  38. S. C. de Vries and J. G. H. Wessels, Polarized outgrowth of hyphae by constant electrical fields during reversion of Schizophyllum commune protoplasts. Exp. Mycol. 6:95 (1982).

    ArticleĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  39. J. M. Picton and M. W. Steere, A model for the mechanism of tip extension in pollen tubes. J. Theor. Biol. 98:15 (1982).

    ArticleĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  40. R. J. Howard and J. R. Aist. Cytoplasmic microtubules and fungal morphogenesis. J. Cell Biol. 87:55 (1980).

    ArticleĀ  PubMedĀ  CASĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  41. C. A. Vermeulen and J. G. H. Wessels. Ultrastructural differences between wall apices of growing and non-growing hyphae of Schizophyllum commune. Protoplasma 120:123 (1984).

    ArticleĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  42. W. Herth. Calcofluor white and congo red inhibit chitin microfibril assembly of Poterioochromonas. J. Cell Biol. 87:442 (1980).

    ArticleĀ  PubMedĀ  CASĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

Ā© 1986 Plenum Press, New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Sietsma, J.H., Vermeulen, C.A., Wessels, J.G.H. (1986). The Role of Chitin in Hyphal Morphogenesis. In: Muzzarelli, R., Jeuniaux, C., Gooday, G.W. (eds) Chitin in Nature and Technology. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-2167-5_9

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-2167-5_9

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-9277-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4613-2167-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics