Biomaterial Database

Studies of the spore walls of Agaricus bisporus and Agaricus campestris. 1979

C G Mendoza, and J A Leal, and M Novaes-Ledieu

The composition and ultrastructure of spore walls of Agaricus bisporus and Agaricus campestris were compared by chemical and enzymatic assays and electron microscopy. Polymers of N-acetylglucosamine (chitin) and glucosamine (chitosan) were the major carbohydrate wall components of both species. The chitin to chitosan ratio in the spore walls of A. bisporus was about 0.38, while in A. campestris it was about 2.8 These polymers were associated with proteins, lipids (readily extractable and bound), melanin, and a low content of beta-glucan. The quantity of protein, total lipid, melanin, or beta-glucan was similar in spore walls of both species. With the electron microscopy, the spore walls appeared as two well-defined layers which may correspond to microfibrils of chitin and chitosan in which the electron-dense melanin was located in the external layer.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008055	Lipids	A generic term for fats and lipoids, the alcohol-ether-soluble constituents of protoplasm, which are insoluble in water. They comprise the fats, fatty oils, essential oils, waxes, phospholipids, glycolipids, sulfolipids, aminolipids, chromolipids (lipochromes), and fatty acids. (Grant & Hackh's Chemical Dictionary, 5th ed)	Lipid
D008543	Melanins	Insoluble polymers of TYROSINE derivatives found in and causing darkness in skin (SKIN PIGMENTATION), hair, and feathers providing protection against SUNBURN induced by SUNLIGHT. CAROTENES contribute yellow and red coloration.	Allomelanins,Melanin,Phaeomelanins
D010860	Pigments, Biological	Any normal or abnormal coloring matter in PLANTS; ANIMALS or micro-organisms.	Biological Pigments
D002241	Carbohydrates	A class of organic compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in a ratio of Cn(H2O)n. The largest class of organic compounds, including STARCH; GLYCOGEN; CELLULOSE; POLYSACCHARIDES; and simple MONOSACCHARIDES.	Carbohydrate
D005656	Fungal Proteins	Proteins found in any species of fungus.	Fungal Gene Products,Fungal Gene Proteins,Fungal Peptides,Gene Products, Fungal,Yeast Proteins,Gene Proteins, Fungal,Peptides, Fungal,Proteins, Fungal
D000363	Agaricales	An extensive order of basidiomycetous fungi whose fruiting bodies are commonly called mushrooms.	Agaricaceae,Mushrooms,Agaricale,Mushroom
D013045	Species Specificity	The restriction of a characteristic behavior, anatomical structure or physical system, such as immune response; metabolic response, or gene or gene variant to the members of one species. It refers to that property which differentiates one species from another but it is also used for phylogenetic levels higher or lower than the species.	Species Specificities,Specificities, Species,Specificity, Species
D013172	Spores, Fungal	Reproductive bodies produced by fungi.	Conidia,Fungal Spores,Conidium,Fungal Spore,Spore, Fungal