Detection of cell wall structural polysaccharides by cellulase-gold and chitinase-gold complexes

The rigid cell wall of Chlorella vulgaris (Trebouxiophyceae) is probably composed of chitin-Iike substance. Chitinase isolated from Streptomyces griseus is able to split covalent linkages on isolated microfibrils. On cross-sections of plastic embedded cell walls the covalent linkages are "masked " by the layer of amorphous polysaccharides. The presence of cellulose in the cell wall can not be excluded. It does not dominated the rigid part. but is probably part of almost amorphous cell wall constituents located in interfibrillar matrix. Inner polysaccharidallayer of Scenedesmus quadricauda (Chlorophyceae) cell wall is composed of cellulose. Neither algenan nor reticulate layer were labelled by cellulase-gold complex. Lorica of Dinobryon divergens (Chrysophyceae) is not composed of cellulosic microfibrils as it was previously thought (FRANKE & HERTH 1973), rnicrofibrils are of chitinous nature. Cellulosic cell wall of Bumilleriopsis filiformis (Xanthophyceae) is multilayered, certain layers exhibit different intensity of labelling by cellulase-gold complex. Method of rigid cell wall polysaccharidal composition testing by cellulase-gold and chitinasegold complexes can be considerate as reliable.