Regeneration of the cell wall in protoplasts of Candida albicans. A cytochemical study using wheat germ agglutinin and concanavalin A.

To assess the dynamics of synthesis of the wall by regenerating Candida albicans protoplasts deposition of chitin and mannoproteins were investigated ultrastructurally using wheat germ agglutinin conjugated with either horseradish peroxidase or colloidal gold, and Concanavalin A coupled to ferritin respectively. Freshly prepared protoplasts lacked wheat germ agglutinin receptor sites but after 1-2 h of regeneration, they were detected. After 4-5 h of regeneration, the cell wall showed a discrete structure which was only labelled with wheat germ agglutinin in thin sections. At this stage of regeneration the outermost layer of the wall was labelled with clusters of Concanavalin A-ferritin particles. After 8 h regeneration, the cell wall appeared compact, and homogenously marked with wheat germ agglutinin whereas only the surface layers appeared consistently labelled with Concanavalin A-ferritin. From these observations we conclude that C. albicans protoplasts are able to regenerate in liquid medium a cell wall consisting of a network of chitin fibrils and mannoproteins at least (glucan polymers were not determined in the present cytological study). The former are the fundamental component of the inner layers at early stages of regeneration, whereas the latter molecules are predominant in the outer layers of the wall.