The Serological, Chemical and Physicochemical Analyses of Cryptococcal Capsular Polysaccharides

Abstract

The taxonomic value of cryptococcal capsular polysaccharides was studied by comparing those of Cryptococcus neoformans and of nine related species. The characterization of the soluble capsular polysaccharides of these 10 species by their serological specificity, chemical constituents and structures represented by the proton magnetic resonance (PMR) spectra demonstrated a division into 2 groups. Species belonging to one group were closely related to C. neoformans and the members of the other group were markedly different from those of the former. It is suggested that the serological, chemical and physicochemical properties of capsular polysaccharides would be useful criteria for the classification of the Cryptococcus species.