Structural alteration of cell wall polysaccharides from Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutants

The chemical structures of cell wall mannans and β-glucans from two Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutants, N3 and N3-8, which have morphological alterations and fragile cell walls, were compared with a wild type strain. Acetolysis and methylation analysis of mutant mannans indicated that both N3 and N3-8 mutant mannans lacked α-1,2-mannosyl side chains which are normally present. Structures of alkali-soluble β-glucans from N3 and N3-8 mutant cells were also different from that of wild type cells in the ratio of 1,6-linkages to 1,3-linkages. The mutant glucans have much higher ratios of β-1,6-linkages (2 times for N3 mutant, 4 times for N3-8 mutant) than wild type glucan.