Figure 8.

Exopolysaccharides of C. neoformans contain reducing ends. A, R.E probe was incubated with CPS, EPS (>10 kDa and >100 kDa), chitin (positive control), or alone for 24 h. The incubation was repeated in three independent experiments. Following dialysis, fluorescence emission spectra were recorded (excitation 360 nm) and compared with their nonincubated controls, showing an increase in fluorescence at the probe's emission maxima, indicating the R.E probe is forming a conjugate with the reducing end of various C. neoformans EPS and CPS isolates. Polysaccharides that were incubated with the R.E probe show >2-fold increase in RFU compared with controls, revealing that the shed exopolysaccharide contains reducing ends. Error bars represent 95% confidence intervals. Statistical significance was determined using unpaired t test (****, p ≤ 0.0001). B, hypothesis: if reducing ends are present in the exopolysaccharide of C. neoformans, they would form stable conjugates with the R.E probe, which could be determined using a fluorescence spectrometer. Glycan notification followed the Symbol Nomenclature for Glycans (SNFG). C, ¹H NMR analysis of >10- and >100-kDa exopolysaccharide isolates revealed the presence of aromatic peaks in the region of δ 7.7–8.6 ppm, which are not present in the original EPS fraction. Exploring C. neoformans with hydroxylamine-armed probe 28 aromatic signals are characteristic of the R.E probe. Characteristic structural reporter groups of anomeric mannose protons can be visualized from δ 5.5 to 4.9 ppm.