Self-aggregation of Cryptococcus neoformans capsular glucuronoxylomannan is dependent on divalent cations.

ABSTRACT: The capsular components of the human pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans are transported to the extracellular space and then used for capsule enlargement by distal growth. It is not clear, however, how the glucuronoxylomannan (GXM) fibers are incorporated into the capsule. In the present study, we show that concentration of C. neoformans culture supernatants by ultrafiltration results in the formation of highly viscous films containing pure polysaccharide, providing a novel, nondenaturing, and extremely rapid method to isolate extracellular GXM. The weight-averaged molecular mass of GXM in the film, determined using multiangle laser light scattering, was ninefold smaller than that of GXM purified from culture supernatants by differential precipitation with cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CT

SUBMITTER: Nimrichter L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1951138 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature