Galactofuranose containing molecules in Aspergillus fumigatus.

Galactofuranose is a major carbohydrate in Aspergillus fumigatus. It became famous in medical mycology as being part of the galactomannan which was shown 30 years ago to be the major antigen circulating in the body fluid of patients suffering from invasive aspergillosis. Four different molecules contain galactofuranose in A. fumigatus: (i) the galactomannan present in the alkali soluble and insoluble fraction of the cell wall (ii) N- and O glycan moieties of secreted glycoproteins (iii) a GPI- anchored lipophosphogalactomannan and (iv) several sphingolipids also anchored to the membrane by an inositol phosphoceramide.