Isolation and Composition of the Spore Wall of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Abstract

The carbohydrate composition of the spore wall after sporulation was comparedwith that of the cell wall obtained from vegetative cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Mannoseand glucose were the major components of the cell wall. The spore wall was almost completely composedof glucose and glucosamine as the sugar components.Wealso determined the chemical composition and structure of glucan extracted from spore walls with cold alkali. The glucan in spore walls could be almost completely extracted with cold alkali. The major component of the glucan is β-1, 3-glucan with branching at several positions of C-6. The minor component of the glucan is β-1, 6-glucan. The alkali-insoluble fraction is mainly glucosamine polymer.