Identification of the extracellular polysaccharide produced by the snow mold fungus Microdochium nivale

Schweiger-Hufnagel U; Ono T; Izumi K; Hufnagel P; Morita N; Kaga H; Morita M; Hoshino T; Yumoto I; Matsumoto N; Yoshida M; Sawada MT; Okuyama H

Biotechnology Letters, Vol.22, No.3, 183-187, 2000

DOI10.1023/A:1005647928900 Export Citation

Identification of the extracellular polysaccharide produced by the snow mold fungus Microdochium nivale

Schweiger-Hufnagel U, Ono T, Izumi K, Hufnagel P, Morita N, Kaga H, Morita M, Hoshino T, Yumoto I, Matsumoto N, Yoshida M, Sawada MT, Okuyama H

A water-insoluble, extracellular polysaccharide was isolated from the culture medium of the snow mold fungus, Microdochium nivale, that had been cultivated in potato/dextrose broth. The polysaccharide consisted of glucose only. Its Fourier transform infrared spectrum showed a beta configuration of the C1 position of glucose. Linkage analysis of the polysaccharide showed that it had a linear structure of beta-(1 --> 4)-linked glucose. The polysaccharide was therefore identified as cellulose. This is the first report of extracellular cellulose occurring in fungi.