ISSN:
0749-503X
Keywords:
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
;
cell wall
;
β-glucan
;
mannoprotein
;
GPI anchor
;
flocculation
;
Life Sciences
;
Life Sciences (general)
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
To a yeast, the cell wall is an important living organelle performing a number of vital functions, including osmotic and physical protection, selective permeability barrier, immobilized enzyme support and cell-cell recognition and adhesion. Our basic model of wall structure involves attachment of secreted mannoproteins to a fibrillar inner layer of β-glucan. Recent work has emphasised the importance of chitin in lateral walls, examined the mechanisms of attachment of mannoproteins to the various cell wall glucan fractions and elucidated the pathway of β-glucan synthesis, by means of resistance to glucan-binding killer toxins. The conventional view of wall structure has been challenged by the discovery of a class of GPI-anchored, serine/threonine-rich wall-proteins. It has been suggested, that these proteins are anchored in the plasma membrane, spanning the wall with extended O-glycosylated structures and protruding out into the medium. Examination of these proteins shows a diversity of structures, sizes and behaviour that makes it improbable that these represent a new class of wall proteins. The possible roles of one of these proteins associated with flocculation, Flo1p, are discussed.
Additional Material:
3 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/yea.320101307
