TOTAL INHIBITION OF WALL SYNTHESIS BY 2-DEOXYGLUCOSE AND POLYOXIN-D IN PROTOPLASTS OF SCHIZOPHYLLUM-COMMUNE

The synthesis of the alkali-soluble (1 .fwdarw. 3)-.alpha.-glucan in the wall of Schizophyllum commune (s-glucan) is completely and specifically inhibited by the addition of 2-deoxyglucose to regenerating protoplasts. In the presence of this substance the protoplasts awere still able to generate hyphae indicating that the (1 .fwdarw. 3)-.alpha.-glucan does not play an essential role in hyphal morphogenesis. Specific inhibition of formation of chitin and alkali-insoluble wall glucan by polyoxin D prevented hyphal morphogenesis and led to osmotically stable cells containing walls essentially consisting of s-glucan only. Together 2-deoxyglucose and polyoxin D prevented the protoplasts from forming any wall component.