THE WATER-SOLUBLE POLYSACCHARIDES OF DERMATOPHYTES: II. A GLUCAN FROM MICROSPORUM QUINCKEANUM

Abstract

A levorotatory glucan with a minimum degree of polymerization of 36 has been isolated from the water-soluble polysaccharides of the dermatophyte Microsporum quinckeanum. Hydrolysis of the methylated glucan yielded the following O-methyl-D-glucoses: 2,3,4,6-tetra-(10.2 mole%); 2,3,4-tri- (57.7 mole%); 2,4,6-tri- (22.2 mole%); 2,4-di- (8.2 mole%); and 2-mono- (1.6 mole%). The glucan consumed 1.53 moles of periodate with production of 0.70 mole of formic acid per mole anhydroglucose. Reduction and hydrolysis of the periodate-oxidized glucan yielded glycerol, erythritol, and D-glucose in a molar ratio of 72.3:0.6:27.1. The results showed that the glucan consisted of β-D-glucopyranose units joined in straight chains by 1 → 6 (57%) and 1 → 3 (24%) linkages. Approximately 3 in every 37 glucose residues constitute branch points in the glucan with branches occurring at the C6and C3positions of the same glucose unit. The glucan bears some resemblance to the yeast glucans of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans but differs from them in the relative number of 1 → 6 and 1 → 3 linkages and in the degree of branching.