Chemical and structural differences in mycelial and regeneration walls of Trichoderma viride

Abstract

When incubated in Winge medium, protoplasts from Trichoderma viride obtained by treatment with Micromonospora chalcea or Streptomyces venezuelae RA lytic systems first synthesized an aberrant wall, different from the normal one; it was aseptate, larger and irregular in size and length. They then regenerated a new wall, similar to the original one from which they were liberated. Analysis showed that the wall polymers were mainly β-(1–3) glucan, β-(1–6) glucan and chitin in the normal walls, whereas chitin was absent in aberrant tubes. These results are discussed below, together with electron micrographs of aberrant and normal walls.