Chemistry of Fungal Cell

1.  Khafizah
 Natasya
 Jojo
 Wani
 Shin
 Thirah
 Muaz

2.  Cell wall of fungi is generally constructed
of 3 layers:
1. α-glucan layer – a glucan is a polymer of
glucose
2. ß-glucan layer
3. Outer layer of glycoprotein
 In addition, chitin may be a significant
component of certain cell wall structures.

3.  Generally composed of the α (1-3)
glucan polymer.
 However, α (1-4) glycosides are variably
present.
 Α-glucan material appears as a fibrillar
layer adjacent to the plasma membrane
and is thought to serve a largely
structural role, stiffening the basal layer
of the cell wall.

4.  α-glucan layer does not occur in
Saccharomyces.
 Among ascomycetes, the α-glucan is
found in Schizosaccharomyces, but is
not known from any other yeasts.

5.  α-glucans also form a significant,
sometimes even dominant, part of the
cell wall in many basidiomycetes.

6.  The bulk material of cell wall is usually in
the form of ß (1-3) glucan.
 This forms a very stable hydrogen-bonded tripe,
helix in solution.
 The packing of these triple helix structures
appears to be controlled by the size and
frequency of very short (1-6) side chains,
sometimes consisting of only a single glucose
monomer.

7.  In addition to ß (1-3) glucan, cell wall contains
ß (1-6) glucan.
 This is not simply a ß (1-3) glucan with big side
chains, but a polysaccharide with a true ß (1-6)
backbone.
 It is strongly involved in cross linking the various
components of the cell wall.

8.  The outermost layer of the cell wall os
composed of diverse proteins bearing
polysaccharide side chains composed
of mannose..
 These are attached through their
mannan side chains via (1-3) linkage
with ß (1-6) glucan.
 Real life appears to be very much complex,
involving different interactions between
glycoproteins and bulk cell wall materials.

9.  In many systems chitin is a major
constituent of the cell wall.
 In others, it is involved only in cell division
or reproductive structures and is virtually
absent otherwise.

11.  Glucomannan is a water-soluble polysaccharide.
 As a dietary fiber, it possesses several potential health
benefits, which include treatment of constipation, decline in
total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein, increase of
insulin sensitivity, weight loss and also wound healing.

14.  Fenugreek galactomannans is used as food emulsifiers.
 The detection of galactomannan at concentrations as low
as 1 ng/ml can
be useful for the early initiation of antifungal therapy and
monitoring
treatment in clinically documented lung aspergillosis.

15. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3531
755/
http://iai.asm.org/content/62/12/5424.abstr
act
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/
pii/S0023643896901796
http://journals.lww.com/pidj/Abstract/1996/030
00/Prospective_sandwich_enzyme_linked_immu
nosorbent.11.aspx
Biarritz, France. March 10-14, 2007. Cell Wall
Polysaccharide of Fungi and plants