Some Properties of β-1,2-Mannosyltransferases Related to the Biosynthesis of the Acid-Labile Oligomannosyl Side Chains in Candida albicans NIH B-792 Strain Cells

Abstract

We detected the β-1,2-mannosyltransferases (β-1,2-MTs), which participate in the biosynthesis of oligomannosyl side chains in the mannan acid-labile fraction, in a particulate insoluble fractions prepared from Candida albicans NIH B-792 strain cells grown at 27 °C and at 37 °C in a yeast extract-added Sabouraud liquid medium (YSLM). The β-1,2-MT VI-6 prepared from the cells grown at 27 °C exhibited the maximum activity at pH 7.0 and at 30 °C. The β-1,2-MT VI-6 activity was only slightly affected by Mn²⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, but completely inhibited by Zn²⁺ and Ni²⁺. The β-1,2-MT activities from the cells grown at 37 °C were lower than that from the cells grown at 27 °C, especially on the longer β-1,2-mannooligosaccharides than tetraose.