Mannan composition of the hyphal form of two relatively avirulent mutants of Candida albicans.

We have previously reported the characteristics of mannans isolated from the yeast forms of two relatively avirulent Candida albicans strains, designated 4918-2 and 4918-10. Investigations have been expanded to include an analysis of mannans from the hyphal form of these strains as well as from the hyphal form of the parental strain, 4918. After extraction, mannans were further purified by high-pressure liquid chromatography on a Bio-gel TSK DEAE-5-PW column. Subsequent to either mild acid hydrolysis, alkali hydrolysis, or acetylation followed by acetolysis, the resulting products were fractionated by high-pressure liquid chromatography on an Aminex HPX-42A column. The results of acid hydrolysis showed only minor quantitative differences in the products released from each strain, with mannose constituting the vast majority of product liberated. The profiles of mannooligosaccharides obtained from either alkali hydrolysis or acetolysis for strain 4918-2 showed distinct quantitative differences compared with profiles of the other two strains. Finally, a general characteristic noted is a decrease in the average chain length of mannooligosaccharides in hyphal mannans compared with the yeast counterpart.