Mannoproteins from yeast and hyphal form of Candida albicans considerably differ in mannan and protein content

• Cell walls of yeast and hyphal forms of Candida albicans serotype A and B were studied.
• Surface mannoproteins of yeast form considerably differed from hyphal form.
• Yeast mannoproteins comprised 41–46% of mannan and 47–53% of protein.
• Hyphal mannoproteins comprised 14% of mannan, 85% of glucan and 3–4.5% of protein.
• HPLC profile of yeast mannoproteins was more complex than the hyphal ones.

Significant differences in carbohydrate composition of mannoproteins obtained from yeast and hyphal cell walls of Candida albicans (serotypes A and B) were found. Yeast mannoproteins from both serotypes consisted up to 46% of mannan while the same parts from hyphal cells contained only about 14% of mannan. Another difference was in protein content, 47–53% for yeasts, 3–4.5% for hyphae, respectively. Moreover, HPLC profiles of yeast mannoproteins were more complex compared to those of hyphal form. Subsequently, mannans were prepared from yeast and hyphal mannoproteins using cetavlon fractionation. Mannans from both yeast serotypes contained higher amounts of mannose (91.4% serotype A; 92.8% serotype B) than mannans from hyphae (66.4% serotype A; 76.3% serotype B). Unlike mannans from serotype B, mannans from serotype A contained β-(1→2)-linked mannopyranosyl units in acid-stable moiety. Further, hyphal mannans were less branched than yeast mannans. The shift from yeast to hyphal form probably led to simplification of mannan structure.

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