Dimorphism in Benjaminiella poitrasii: cell wall chemistry of parent and two stable yeast mutants.

In the dimorphic zygomycetous fungus Benjaminiella poitrasii, the cell wall compositions of mycelial phase (M), yeast phase (Y) and its yeast form mutants (Y-2 and Y-5) were studied. Chitosan was abundant in M-phase (26.6%) whereas lesser amounts were present in Y-phase (17.3%) and in mutants Y-2 (19.6%) or Y-5 (17.3%). Although chitin was present as a smaller fraction of the total glucosaminoglycan in each of different cell wall preparations, it was almost 3 times more prevalent in M-phase than the Y-phase cells. Cross-linking studies among the various cell wall components in B. poitrasii, suggest linkages among mannans and proteins and glucans and glucosaminoglycans.