Isolation and possible composition of glucosylceramides from Paracoccidioides brasiliensis.

Twelve different species of neutral monohexosyl ceramides (CMHs) and two species of neutral monohexosyl ceramides were isolated from mycelium and yeast forms of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, respectively, by a combination of ion-exchange chromatography, HPLC, and HPTLC. The glucosylceramides did not react with sera from patients with paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM). Carbohydrate analysis indicated that CMHs contain glucose. Analysis of 1H-NMR and mass spectrometry data suggest that the structure of the CMHs is Glcp beta 1-->Cer (mycelium forms present 12 different ceramides and yeast forms present 2 different ceramides). The composition of the lipid moieties was analyzed by negative fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry. No glycosphingolipid other than glucosylceramide was detected in P. brasiliensis.