Chitin-glucan complex in cell walls of the Peltigera aphthosa lichen

Abstract

Cell walls and chitin-glucan complexes isolated from uneven-aged components of the thallus of the Peltigera aphthosa lichen were studied. The mass fraction of the cell wall and chitin-glucan complexes increased with age, but the content of nitrogen in these structures decreased with age. The basal area of the thallus was characterized by the largest mass fraction of the chitin-glucan complex from the dry mass of the thallus; the apical area, by the largest mass fraction of chitin in the complex. It was demonstrated that in P. aphthosa, the degree of deacetylation of chitin in the complex (depending on the age) was 33 and 54% in the apical and basal areas, respectively. The suggested method of functional analysis of chitin-glucan complexes for the presence of free amino groups in them can be used for studying other lichenified fungi.