Comparison of the rhamnomannans from the human pathogen Sporothrix schenckii with those from the Ceratocystis species

Abstract

Rhamnomannans from several isolates of Sporothrix schenckii and Ceratocystis species were compared. No major differences emerged in the analysis of the carbohydrate composition of polysaccharides from either species. Methylation analysis for the identification of the glycosidic linkages present in the polysaccharides showed that they all were very similar with minor differences being observed among strains and between polysaccharides obtained at 25 and 37 C. Partially methylated derivatives were identified by gas-liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Their proportions suggest that polysaccharides from S. schenckii and C. stenoceras have a general structure similar to that of C. ulmi: a (1 --> 6)-linked alpha-d-mannopyranosyl main chain substituted in the 3-positions by alpha-l-rhamnopyranosyl and in many cases by alpha-l-rhamnopyranosyl (1-->2)-l-rhamnopyranosyl side chains. Differences among polysaccharides resided in the proportions of the dirhamnosyl side chains and of 4-O-substituted and 2, 4-di-O-substituted mannose units. Increased proportions of dirhamnosyl side chains were observed in the polysaccharides from S. schenckii strains and from a pathogenic variant of C. stenoceras grown at 25 C. Proton magnetic resonance spectra (H-1 region) of the rhamnomannans showed that S. schenckii strains could be placed in two different groups similar but not identical to any Ceratocystis species. These spectra were very close to those of the polysaccharides from the C. clavata and C. ambrosia groups of Ceratocystis species.