The outer layer of the cell wall of the human pathogenic fungus Candida albicans is
enriched with heavily mannosylated glycoproteins that are the immediate point of contact
between the fungus and cells of the host, including phagocytes. Previous work had identified
components of the acid-labile fraction of N-linked mannan, comprising β-1, 2-linked
mannose residues attached via a phosphodiester bond, as potential ligands for macrophage
receptors and modulators of macrophage function. We therefore isolated and disrupted the …