Initial steps of wall protoplast regeneration in Candida albicans.

Cell wall regeneration of individual Candida albicans yeast and mycelial protoplasts was studied with confocal and electron microscopy using polyclonal antibodies and lectins. Quantitative measurements of the fluorescence emitted by individual protoplasts during the process of regeneration indicate that chitin is the first polymer to be laid down, whereas beta (1,3)- and beta (1,6)glucan are incorporated at a later stage. Mannoproteins were found on the surface of fresh protoplasts and those newly synthesized were then deposited with time. During the first steps of wall regeneration, the proteins that interacted covalently with chitin or glucan were different, but the same species were found linked to each polymer in yeast and mycelial regenerating forms. The aggregates formed by regenerating protoplasts were shown to be due to the chitin and mannoprotein network initially laid.