Synthesis of cell wall glucan, chitin, and protein by regenerating protoplasts and mycelia of Trichoderma reesei

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The synthesis of constituent polymers of the cell wall by either growing mycelia or regenerating protoplasts of Trichoderma reesei QM 9414 was investigated by following the incorporation of radioactive precursors of the individual polymers (i.e., N[14C] acetyl-glucosamine, [3H] and [14C]glucose, [14C]mannose, and [35S]methionine) into individual fractions. N-Acetyl-glucosamine and glucose were found to become specifically incorporated into cell wall chitin and glucan by both mycelia and regenerating protoplasts, indicating the activity of chitin and glucan synthases in both systems. Cell wall glucan from regenerating protoplasts, however, consisted only of α-glucan and specifically lacked β-glucan which is found in mycelial cell walls. Mannose became metabolized to glucose before its label appeared in the cell wall, and was thus unsuitable for specific labelling. [35S]Methionine was found in a small (< 21 kDa) polypeptide from the first alkali-soluble cell wall fraction, but also in cell wall bound secretory proteins, i. e., β-glucosidase. These results indicate that cell wall biogenesis in T. reesei, in contrast to a report by other authors, is similar to that of other filamentous fungi. Key words: Trichoderma reesei, protoplast regeneration, cell wall polymer, β-glucan, cell wall protein.