Immunochemical studies of exocellular polysaccharides of Tremella and Cryptococcus

Abstract

Comparative immunochemical studies of exocellular glucuronoxylomannans of several species of the genera Tremella and Cryptococcus were done with rabbit antisera prepared to two yeast-form strains (T7 and T19) of Tremella fuciformis Berk. Quantitative precipitin test showed that glucuronoxylomannans of Cryptococcus were precipitated with the antiserum to T. fuciformis T7 but not with the antiserum to T. fuciformis T19. In contrast, glucuronoxylomannans of Tremella are reactive with antiserum to T. fuciformis T19. Hapten inhibition tests and structural analyses of glucuronoxylomannans indicated that presence or absence of β-(1→2)-linked d-xylose short chain in glucuronoxylomannan may contribute to the serological difference among species of Tremella and Cryptococcus.