Yeast beta-glucanases: a complex system of secreted enzymes.

The complement of glucan-hydrolysing enzymes produced by yeast species is considered to be relevant to morphogenesis, since this polysaccharide is the major structural component of the yeast cell wall. beta-glucanase systems of different species consist of both 1,3-beta- and 1,6-beta-hydrolases, which exert their action by either an exo- or an endo-splitting mechanism. The diversity of beta-glucanase systems, even among related species, is striking. The enzymes are produced for export, and the active forms of some of them seem to be generated upon secretion. Genetic approaches and the cloning of the glucanase genes are being used to clarify the biological role of the different enzymes. These also offer a possibility for genetic analysis of the functions related to cell wall dynamics with potential applications in biotechnology.