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Cell Wall Composition of Two Strains of Blastomyces dermatitidis Exhibiting Differences in Virulence for Mice

Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia 30902

ABSTRACT

Cell walls isolated from two strains of Blastomyces dermatitidis were examined. Whereas strain Ga-1 was practically avirulent for mice, strain KL-1 produced death by 21 days in 50% of the mice inoculated. Analyses of the trypsin-treated cell walls of the two strains revealed a higher chitin and protein content in strain KL-1, whereas a higher polysaccharide content was observed in the cell walls of strain Ga-1. Extraction of the walls with 1 N NaOH revealed a threefold difference in the amount of alkali-soluble cell wall material present. The alkali-soluble material could be further fractionated into a water-soluble and a water-insoluble fraction. Previous reports have indicated that the water-insoluble fraction of B. dermatitidis consists of an alpha-linked glucan; however, we report that in addition a phospholipid moiety is covalently bound to the polysaccharide. Furthermore, on the basis of organic phosphorus content, considerably more phospholipid is associated with the alpha-linked glucan of the more virulent KL-1 strain. These results suggest that this cell wall constituent might be one of the factors related to the virulence of this fungus.

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