The synthesis of chitin in cell-free extracts of Neurospora crassa.

Since the discovery by Leloir and coworkers of uridine diphosphate glucose as the coenzyme in the “galacto-Walden&se” reaction (2), nucleotide-linked sugars have been shown to act as glycosyl donors in the synthesis of trehalose (3), sucrose (4), glucuronides (5), various disaccharides (6)) and hyaluronic acid (7). In the present communication, evidence will be presented that uridine diphosphate-N-acetylglucosamine’ acts as a glycosyl donor in the synthesis of chitin by a cell-free preparation from Neurospora crassa. Leloir and Cardini first suggested that UDPAG might be involved in chitin biosynthesis (8).