Sugar inhibition of the lectin jacalin: comparison of three assays

1. Three assays were used to test nine sugars for inhibition of jacalin activity prepared from Artocarpus intefrifolia. Rat spleen proliferation was unssuitable since the measurement of the effects of sugars against jacalin binding was complicated by their simultaneous metavolic effects on the cells. 2. Based partly on a sheep red blood cell hemagglutination assay and mainly on human serum protein preciptation, the following potencies in relation to D(+)-galactose (taken as 1) were obtained: 1-0-methyl-alfa-D-galactopyranoside, 40; methyl-alfa-D-mannopyranoside and D(+)-mannose, 0.12; ß-Dd-(-)-fructose, 0.08; alfa - D(+)-glucose and 1 - 0-methyl-ß-D-glucopyranoside, <0.04

Some factors affecting the transformation of the yeast-like to the mycelial-like forms of Candida albicans.

Various carbohydrates tried as inducing agents for mycelia formation in Candida albicans in liquid medium have revealed that mycelia formation was very pronounced in the presence of any of the sugars like xylose, galactose, lactose and trehalose. Glucose and fructose favoured lavish yeast growth. Arabinose supported neither yeast nor mycelia growth to any appreciable extent. In a growth medium containing a mixture of glucose and galactose, a glucose concentration of 0.7% (w/v) and above was required to maintain the fungus completely in the yeast form. The possible reason as to why sufficient glucose maintained the yeast form while galactose favoured the mycelial form was discussed.