Saccharomyces cerevisiae chitin biosynthesis activation by N-acetylchitooses depends on size and structure of chito-oligosaccharides

Table 1 Per cent activation of [¹⁴C]-GlcNAc incorporation into chitin polymer in presence of oligosaccharides from different lengths and structures.

DP	N-acetyl-chitooses β-(1,4)-Glc-NAc	Laminari-oses β-(1,3)-Glc	Dextro-oses α-(1,6)-Glc	Cello-oses β-(1,4)-Glc
2	13,3% ± 2	2% ± 1,1	nd	nd
3	10% ± 1,5	1,6% ± 1,2	2% ± 1,3	nd
4	17,3% ± 0,8	0,5% ± 0,5	1,5% ± 1,2	nd
5	23,3% ± 1,1	1% ± 0,8	2,1% ± 1,5	3% ± 2
8	24,4% ± 1,2	nd	nd	nd

Chitin synthase activity of S. cerevisiae membrane fractions was measured as incorporation of [¹⁴C]-GlcNAc into a filter-retained insoluble material. Assays were performed upon preincubation of microsomes with N-acetylchitooses β-(1,4)-GlcNAc, laminarioses β-(1,3)-Glc, dextrooses α-(1,6)-Glc, or cellooses β-(1,4)-Glc. Length of oligosaccharides tested varied from bioses to octaoses (DP = degree of polymerization). Per cent activations were calculated compared to standard assay without added oligosaccharides. Results are the average of five independent experiments (±SD). Activation for some oligosaccharides was not determined (nd).

ISSN: 1756-0500