Studies on the cell wall of Chlorella I. Quantitative changes in cell wall polysaccharides during the cell cycle of Chlorella ellipsoidea

1. 1. The cell wall of Chlorella ellipsoidea was fractionated intotwo components, alkali-soluble hemicellulose and alkali-insoluble"rigid wall". The former was composed of several neutral sugars,i.e. rhamnose, xylose, arabinose, mannose and galactose, andthe latter had glucosamine as a main constituent sugar.
2. 2.Quantitative changes in both hemicellulose and "rigid wall"contents during the cell cycle were followed using synchronouslygrown cells. The two cell wall components showed markedly differentchanges. Hemicellulose increased in proportion to the enlargementof the cell surface area in the growing phase, while the "rigidwall" remained almost constant in this phase. The "rigid wall"increased only in the reproduction phase—the time of autosporeformation.

(Received September 26, 1977; )     

Species-specificity of the lytic activity of the cell wall in the genus Chlorella

Cell wall lytic activity was compared among strains IAM C-27, C-87, SAG 211-1c, -1d, -9a, -8b, -8c, -8l, -11f, -8k, -11g, and -11h/9 of the genus Chlorella . The optimal pH was alkaline in strains with glucosamine as the characteristic group of the rigid wall, and acidic in strains characterised by glucan groups. The lytic enzymes of strains in the former type of algae lyzed the cell wall mainly to soluble high molecular oligosaccharides. The lytic activity of the Chlorella cell wall thus appears species- and strain-speicific.     

Purification and properties of a lytic enzyme from the cell wall of Chlorella ellipsoidea C-87

Cell wall lytic activity was detected in the culture medium and cell wall of 1AM Chlorella ellipsoidea C-87. The enzymes of both fractions had their highest activity at pH 5. The lytic activity bound to the cell wall consisted of a polysaccharide releasing enzyme, an exo-type enzyme releasing disaccharide, and glucosidase; but only the polysaccharide releasing enzyme was solubilized by lithium chloride. A polysaccharide releasing enzyme with a molecular weight around 40 kDa was isolated from the culture medium. Hemicellulose is degraded by the polysaccharide releasing enzyme, and the rigid wall by the exo-type enzyme.     

Studies on the Cell Wall of Chlorella III. Incorporation of Photosynthetically Fixed Carbon into Cell Walls of Synchronously Growing Cells of Chlorella ellipsoidea

The carbon metabolism in cell walls of Chlorella ellipsoideawas studied by following ¹⁴C incorporation into cell wall constituentsin photosynthesizing, synchronously growing cells. The rateof incorporation was higher at an early growth phase of thecell cycle. The ¹⁴C was incorporated into both the major cellwall constituents, hemicellulose and ‘rigid wall’,and the radioactivity in the latter was distributed into itstwo components, glucosamine and amino acids. In pulse-chaseexperiments, the ¹⁴C fixed photosynthetically in the precedingcell cycle was rapidly transferred into the cell wall constituentsat the early growth phase of the ongoing cell cycle, and thereafterwas gradually released from the cell walls, although the totalamount of ¹⁴C in the cells remained constant. It was concludedthat the cell wall constituents are turned over during the growthphase of the algal cell cycle, and that the cell wall metabolismin the ongoing cell cycle is closely connected with the carbonmetabolism in the preceding cell cycle. (Received February 3, 1982; Accepted June 21, 1982)     

The structure of a glycopeptide isolated from the yeast cell wall

1. Glycopeptides containing mannose were extracted from isolated yeast cell walls by ethylenediamine and purified by treatment with Pronase and fractionation on a Sephadex column. 2. A glycopeptide that appeared homogeneous on electrophoresis and ultracentrifugation had a molecular weight of 76000, and contained a high-molecular-weight mannan and approx. 4% of amino acids. 3. The amino acid composition of the peptide was determined. It was rich in serine and threonine and also contained glucosamine. No cystine and methionine were detected. 4. The glycopeptide underwent a beta-elimination reaction when treated with dilute alkali at low temperatures. The reaction resulted in the release of mannose, mannose disaccharides and possibly other low-molecular-weight mannose oligosaccharides. During the beta-elimination reaction the dehydro derivatives of serine and threonine were formed. One of the linkages between carbohydrate and amino acids in the glycopeptide is an O-mannosyl bond from mannose and mannose oligosaccharides to serine and threonine. 5. After the beta-elimination reaction the bulk of the mannose in the form of the large mannan component was still covalently linked to the peptide. This polysaccharide was therefore attached to the amino acids by a linkage different from the O-mannosyl bonds to serine and threonine that attach the low-molecular-weight sugars. 6. Mannan was prepared from the glycopeptide and from the yeast cell wall by treatment of the fractions with hot solutions of alkali. The mannan contained aspartic acid and glucosamine and some other amino acids. The aspartic acid and glucosamine were present in equimolar amounts; the aspartic acid was the only amino acid present in an amount equivalent to that of glucosamine. Thus there is the possibility of a linkage between the mannan and the peptide via glucosamine and aspartic acid. 7. Mannose 6-phosphate was shown to be part of the mannan structure. Information about the structure of the mannan and the linkage of the glucosamine was obtained by periodate oxidation studies. 8. The glucosamine present in the glycopeptide could not be released by treatment with an enzyme preparation obtained from the gut of Helix pomatia. This enzyme released glucosamine from the intact cell wall. Thus there are probably at least two polymers containing glucosamine in the cell wall. 9. The biosynthesis of the mannan polymer in the yeast cell wall is discussed with regard to the two types of carbohydrate-amino acid linkages found in the glycoprotein.     

Degradation and turnover of bacterial cell wall mucopeptides in growing bacteria

The mucopeptide layer of the cell wall ofBacillus megaterium is broken down into separate components during growth of the cells. The released diaminopimelic acid is partly decarboxylated to lysine, which is incorporated in the proteins and partly used for cell wall resynthesis. The smaller portion of the degraded mucopeptide is released into the medium in the form of non-utilized fragments. The rate of the mucopeptide turnover is a function of the rate of growth of the culture. About 15–20% of the rigid layer of the cell wall is degraded during on cell division. The sensitivity ofBacillus megaterium to lysozyme and the rate of its conversion to protoplasts is also proportionate to the rate of growth of the culture. There is no measurable mucopeptide turnover in non-growing cells, either in the stationary phase of the culture or in starvation in nitrogen-free medium. The resistance of the cell wall to lysozyme also increases during the stationary phase. The rigid component of the cell wall is probably also broken down during growth ofBacillus cereus andEscherichia coli cultures.     

Cell wall composition of Streptomyces roseoflavus var. roseofungini and its Nocardia-like variant

The composition of cell walls was comparatively studied in Streptomyces roseoflavus var. roseofungini 1128 and in its variant 1-68. In the logarithmic phase of growth, the content of teichoic acid in the cell wall of the parent culture was four times as high as in the cell wall of the variant. The cell walls of the parent culture contained 5 to 7 times more O-lysyl residues not only due to a higher content of teichoic acid in the walls but also owing to a lower content of lysyl groups in the teichoic acid of the variant. An additional polysaccharide comprising galactose and glucosamine was found in the cell wall of the variant but not in the parent strain. The peptidoglycan of the both cultures had a structure typical of Streptomyces spp.; its content in the cell walls of the two cultures was identical (ca. 50% of the dry cell wall biomass weight). The results are discussed in connection with the peculiarities of the variant hyphal septation.     

Composition of the cell wall of Chlorella fusca

Isolated cell walls of mature Chlorella fusca consisted of about 80% carbohydrate, 7% protein, and 13% unidentified material. Mannose and glucose were present in a ratio of about 2.7:1 and accounted for most of the carbohydrate. Minor components were glucuronic acid, rhamnose, and traces of other sugars; galactose was absent. After treatment with 2 M trifluoroacetic acid or with 80% acetic acid/HNO₃ (10/1, v/v), a residue with a mannose/glucose ratio of 0.3:1 was obtained, probably representing a structural polysaccharide. An X-ray diffraction diagram of the walls showed one diffuse reflection at 0.44 nm and no reflections characteristic of cellulose. Walls from young cells contained about 51% carbohydrate, 12% protein, and 37% unidentified material. Mannose and glucose were also the main sugars; their absolute amounts per wall increased 6–7 fold during cell growth. Walls isolated with omission of a dodecylsulphate/mercaptoethanol/urea extraction step had a higher protein content and, with young walls, a significantly higher glucose and fucose content. These data and other published cell wall analyses show a wide variability in cell wall composition of the members of the genus Chlorella.Abbreviations GLC gas liquid chromatography - TFA trifluoroacetic acid     

Late type of daughter cell wall synthesis in one of the Chlorellaceae, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Parachlorella kessleri</Emphasis> (Chlorophyta,Trebouxiophyceae)

Autosporulation is a common mode of propagation for unicellular algae. Autospore-forming species of Chlorellaceae, Chlorella vulgaris Beijerinck, C. sorokiniana Shihira et Krauss, C. lobophora Andreyeva, and Parachlorella kessleri (Fott et Nováková) Krienitz et al. have glucosamine as the main constituent of their rigid cell wall. Recent phylogenetic analyses have showed that the Chlorellaceae divided into two sister groups: the Chlorella-clade and the Parachlorella-clade. We compared the cell wall structure and synthesis of the daughter cell wall in the four species by electron microscopy using rapid freezing and freeze substitution methods. The cell wall of C. vulgaris, C. sorokiniana, and C. lobophora consisted of an electron-dense thin layer with an average thickness of 17–20, 22, and 19 nm, respectively. In these three species, daughter cell wall synthesis occurred on the outer surface of the plasma membrane in the early cell-growth phase. The cell wall of P. kessleri, however, was electron-transparent and 54–59 nm in thickness. Ruthenium red staining of P. kessleri indicated that ruthenium-red-specific polysaccharides accumulated over the outer surface of the plasma membrane. Immunoelectron microscopic observation with an anti--1, 3-glucan antibody and staining with wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) indicated that the cell wall contained -1, 3-glucan and WGA specific N-acetyl--D-glucosamine. In P. kessleri, daughter cell wall synthesis began after successive protoplast division. The daughter cell wall synthesis during autosporulation in the four species of Chlorellaceae can be classified into two types—the early and the late types.     

Elevated cell wall serine in pleiotropic staphylococcal mutants

Korman, Ruth Z. (Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y.). Elevated cell wall serine in pleiotropic staphylococcal mutants. J. Bacteriol. 92:762-768. 1966.-Physically purified cell walls were prepared from two staphylococcal strains and from pleiotropic variants derived from them. The quantitative amino acid and amino sugar content of these walls is reported. The pleiotypes, which are identified culturally by their failure to elaborate coagulase, their resistance to bacteriophage, and their sensitivity to mannitol, have altered molar ratios of amino acids and amino sugars in their cell walls. In comparison with lysine content, the serine content of the mutant wall is elevated and the glycine content is reduced. The glucosamine content is reduced also. It is postulated that the pleiotropic mutants possess an altered cell wall biosynthetic pathway.     

Studies on the Cell Wall of Chlorella IV. Incorporation of Glucose-Carbon into Cell Walls of Synchronously Growing Cells of Chlorella ellipsoidea

Uniformly ¹⁴C-labeIled glucose was fed to synchronously growingChlorella cells in the dark or in light. The rate of ¹⁴C-incorporationinto hemicellulose showed two maxima one in the growth phaseand one in the reproductive phase. Significant ¹⁴Cincorporationinto a "rigid wall" was found only in the reproductive phase. (Received April 14, 1983; Accepted June 15, 1983)     

Enzyme formation by a yeast cell wall lytic Arthrobacter species: chitinolytic activity

The kinetics of the release of chitinolytic activity (endochitinase EC 3.2.1.14, \-N-acetyglucosaminidase EC 3.2.1.30) by a yeast cell wall lytic Arthrobacter species was studied. The organism was cultivated on yeast cell wall, mycelium of Trichoderma reesei, colloidal chitin, N-acetylglucosamine, glucosamine and mixtures with acetate. With the exception of yeast cell wall, these substrates were used as the sole source of carbon and nitrogen. The growth on colloidal chitin (0.5%) proceeded at a maximum specific growth rate (_umax) of 0.23 h^–1 and yielded 2700 mU1^–1 chitinase. Yeast cell wall and mycelium of T. reesei supported more rapid growth (_max = 0.30 h^–1 and 0.25 h^–1 respectively) but yielded reduced chitinase activity (565 mUl^–1 and 700 mUl^–1). The growth rate on glucosamine (_max = 0.24 h^–1) was reduced when this was mixed with acetate (_max = 0.12 h^–1), whereas the enzyme yield was increased from 720 mUl^–1 to 960 mUl^–1. The same effect on growth rate was observed with glucose and equimolar mixtures of glucose and acetate, indicating a strong impact of the organic acid on carbohydrate transport or metabolism. The growth of adapted cells on N-acetylglucosamine was comparable to that observed on an equimolar mixture of glucosamine and acetate, indicating that N-acetylglucosamine is rapidly hydrolysed by adapted cells.     

On the spatial structure of a plant cell wall protein. Secondary structure of a cell wall protein fromAcetabularia

Summary The structure of a purified protein associated with the cell wall polysaccharides of the marine green algaeAcetabularia (Polyphysa) cliftonii has been studied by means of X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy and circular dichroism. The homogeneous preparation of the cell wall protein has a molecular weight of 14,000, as determined by sodium-dodecylsulfate electrophoresis. Regular layer line reflections on the X-ray diffraction photographs suggest that a distinct order exists in the arrangement of the protein fibrils. Through infrared spectroscopy of thin aqueous films of the protein, as well as of the fibers, it was established that the -helical structure is predominant in the cell wall protein. The fibers crystallize in a hexagonal unit cell witha=14.5 Å and c=27.0 Å, at a water content of two molecules per residue. Increase in water content causes an increase in thea-axis, but without change in thec-direction, thus keeping the -helical conformation. Moreover the spectral data in the amide A, I, II, III, and IV-regions show that the cell wall protein has an ordered -helical conformation.     

Phage-receptor on the cell wall of Veillonella rodentium

Veillonellophage N2 prevented from adsorbing to Veillonella rodentium ATCC 17743 cells treated with polymyxin B, and also to lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) of the host cells treated with antibiotics. Therefore, these results indicate that receptor to phage N2 is cell wall LPSs. The LPSs of V. rodentium ATCC 17743 cells as receptor were characterized. Lipid A and total carbohydrate accounted for approximately 40% of the weight of the lipopolysaccharide complex. Heptose and 2-keto-3-deoxyoctonate were also present. Amino compounds included glucosamine, galactosamine, and glycine.     

Physical properties of the cell wall of photoautotrophic suspension cells fromChenopodium rubrum L.

Photoautotrophic suspension cells ofChenopodium rubrum were used to determine Donnan potential, charge density and pore-radius distribution in the cell wall. Experiments were done either with turgescent cells or with isolated cell walls. Titration of a cell-wall-generated 9-aminoacridine fluorescence quench with salts of mono- and divalent cations was used to determine Donnan potential and charge density. The experiments and theory were adapted from measurements of membrane surface charges. A tenfold increase in ionic strength, which decreases the repellant forces between charges of the same sign, led to an approximately threefold increase in the measured charge density, thus resulting in a much smaller decrease of the Donnan potential than would be expected if the charge density remained fixed. This decreased influence of ionic strength on the Donnan potential, resulting from the elasticity of the cell wall, was also measurable but less pronounced when the wall of intact cells was stretched by turgor. The porosity of the cell wall was determined by longterm uptake of polyethylene glycols of different molecular weights, and by gel filtration of polyethylene glycols and dextrans as well as mono- and disaccharides using intact suspension cells as matrix. Both methods gave a mean pore diameter of about 4.5 nm and a maximum pore size of 5.5 nm. The resulting pores-size distribution was slightly broader with the latter method.Abbreviations 9-AA 9-aminoacridine - DMBr₂ decamethoniumbromide=N,N,N,N,N,N hexamethyldecane-1,10-diaminebromide - DW dry weight after lyophilization - EDTA ethylene diaminetetra acetic acid - EGTA ethylene glycol-bis(-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N,N-tetraacetic acid - FW fresh weight - Mops 3-(N-morpholino)propanesulfonic acid - MW molecular weight - PEG polyethylene glycol     

Lipid and cell wall changes in an inositol-requiring mutant of Neurospora crassa.

An inositol deficiency in the inositol-requiring (inl) mutant of Neurospora crassa led to changes in the composition of the inositol-containing lipids and the cell wall. On deficient levels of inositol, phosphatidyl inositol decreased by 23-fold, di(inositolphosphoryl) ceramide decreased by 4-fold, and monoinositolphosphoryl ceramide increased slightly. The inositol deficiency also led to an aberrant hyphal morphology and changes in both the amount of cell wall and the amino sugar content of the cell wall. The glucosamine content of the cell wall decreased by 50%, the galactosamine increased by 50%, but no significant changes were found in the content of the cell wall amino sugar precursors, or in the amino acid, glucose, or total hexose content of the cell wall. Inositol-containing compounds were found associated with purified cell wall material. These compounds were bound tightly to the cell wall but could be removed by treatment with alkali, a treatment which disrupts the cell wall integrity. Possible mechanisms of how changes in lipid composition can affect cell wall biosynthesis are discussed.     

Alterations in the cell wall ofSaccharomyces cerevisiae induced by the alpha sex factor or a mutation in the cell cycle

We performed experiments in parallel to study the rate of synthesis of cell wall polysaccharides and the activity of glycosyl transferases inSaccharomyces cerevisiae after arrest of acdc 28 mutant in G1 phase by either addition of alpha-factor or transfer to the non-permissive temperature. Both effectors brought about similar time-dependent increases in the rate of synthesis and deposition of the cell wall polysaccharides chitin, glucan and mannan. These changes in cell wall composition were accompanied by an increase in the specific activities of glucan and chitin synthetases. This increase was inhibited by cycloheximide suggesting that it representedde novo enzyme biosynthesis and not enzyme activation. Our data are consistent with the notion that both alpha-factor and thecdc 28 mutation affect the same stage-specific function that controls the temporal expression of glycosyl transferases.Abbreviations GlcNAc N-acetyl glucosamine - UDPGIcNAc uridine-diphosphate-N-acetyl glucosamine - UDPGlc uridine-diphosphate glucose - TCA trichloroacetic acid - EDTA ethylene diamino tetraacetate - TAME tosyl-L-arginyl methyl ester - GTP guanosine triphosphate - WGA wheat germ agglutinin     

Chemical composition of cell walls as a taxonomical marker

Matrix sugar composition ofChlorella is species-specifically different. The rigid wall consists of either glucosamine or glucose and mannose. Ruthenium red stainability and anisotropy of cell wall are either plus or minus species-specifically. The cell wall is specifically degraded by the lytic enzyme of the cell itself.     

Components of the cell wall of Clostridium welchii (type A)

1. The cell wall of Clostridium welchii (type A) contains alanine, 2,6-diaminopimelic acid, glutamic acid, glycine, glucosamine, muramic acid, galactosamine, mannosamine, ethanolamine, rhamnose, galactose and phosphorus. 2. Heating with formamide at 150 degrees resolved the wall into a formamide-soluble polysaccharide fraction and a formamide-insoluble mucopeptide fraction. 3. The formamide-soluble fraction contained two components: an electrophoretically neutral polysaccharide made up of galactose, rhamnose, galactosamine and phosphorus and an electrophoretically acidic polymer containing mannosamine, ethanolamine and phosphorus. 4. The formamide-insoluble residue has been digested by lysozyme to give soluble fragments of high molecular weight. 5. All fractions contain an unknown ethyl acetate-extractable substance that can be oxidized by sodium metaperiodate. 6. The amino acid compositions of the fragments produced by lysozyme are compatible with a mucopeptide structure which has cross bridges containing all of the constituent amino acids.     

Chemical composition and serological analysis of the cell wall of Peptostreptococcus

Bahn, Arthur N. (Northwestern University, Chicago, Ill.), Patrick C. Y. Kung, and James A. Hayashi. Chemical composition and serological analysis of the cell wall of Peptostreptococcus. J. Bacteriol. 91:1672-1676. 1966.-Chemical and serological analyses were made of the cell wall of Peptostreptococcus to characterize taxonomically this genus of anaerobic streptococci. Cell wall hydrolysates of P. putridus strains 06 and 85, P. intermedius strains 11 and 87, and P. elsdenii strain B-159 were prepared, and the cell wall sugars were measured quantitatively by paper chromatography. Strain 85 contained only glucose, whereas strain 06 contained 93% glucose and 7% mannose. Strain 87 contained only rhamnose, and strain 11 contained approximately equal amounts of glucose and rhamnose. Strain B-159 differed from all the other strains in having a low (3.1%) content of total carbohydrate, consisting of rhamnose, galactose, and glucose. Quantitative amino acid analyses showed that the major amino compounds present in the cell wall were glutamic and aspartic acids, alanine, lysine, muramic acid, glucosamine, and galactosamine. Strains 06 and 85 possessed this complement of amino compounds, but strains 11 and 87 had relatively little aspartic acid. Strain B-159 was markedly different in having a high content of glycine and diaminopimelic acid, with only traces of lysine; it was the only strain in which teichoic acid was found. Serological analyses were made with the use of cell wall extracts as antigenic material and with homologous antisera, as well as streptococcal group antisera for groups A through S. The only strong agglutination was obtained between strain 87 antigen and group C antisera; weak agglutination was obtained with 87 against N, O, and K, and between strain 11 and groups E and F. All other antisera gave negative reactions. It is concluded that strain B-159 does not belong to the genus Peptostreptococcus, that strains 06 and 85 are members of P. putridus, and that strains 11 and 87 may be members of two different genera.