FIGURE 12.

Speculative chemical structure of alkali-soluble glucans and cell wall architecture of the agsA^OE, agsB^OE, and ΔamyG strains of A. nidulans. The alkali-soluble glucan fraction from A. nidulans consists mainly of linear 1,3-linked α-glucan. 1,3-Linked α-glucan subunits (∼200 residues each) might be separated by short 1,4-linked α-glucan spacers. The degree of polymerization (DP) of the alkali-soluble glucans differ markedly among the agsA^OE, agsB^OE, and ΔamyG strains. The distribution of α-1,3-glucan in the cell wall might differ between the agsA^OE (most in the inner layer and some in the outer layer) and agsB^OE (outer layer) strains. In the ΔamyG strain, α-1,3-glucan was localized on the outermost layer of the cell wall although the amount of α-1,3-glucan was decreased.