Seventeen saccharides were tested for their ability to bind to the trap lectins of three species of nematode-trapping fungi and prevent nematode capture. The lectin of Arthrobotrys conoides was found to be inhibited by α- d -glucose/ d -mannose and similar saccharides. The lectins of Monacrosporium eudermatum and Monacrosporium rutgeriensis were inhibited by α- l -fucose and 2-deoxy- d -glucose, respectively. Human group O(H) erythrocytes agglutinated to traps of M. eudermatum but not A. conoides or M. rutgeriensis. There was no agglutination of group A or B to traps formed by all three fungi. Exposure of the traps to trypsin eliminated the ability to capture nematodes. The presence of d -glucose/ d -mannose and l -fucose residues on the nematode cuticle was suggested through the use of commercially prepared lectin-peroxidase conjugates.

The influence of 29 species of soil organisms (21 bacteria and 8 fungi) on nematode capture by 3 species of nematophagous fungi was investigated. Only the yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, was found to bind to lectin-containing traps of Arthrobotrys conoides and Monacrosporium rutgeriensis and prevent nematode capture. None of the organisms studied bound to the traps of Monacrosporium eudermatum. The trap lectin of Arthrobotrys conoides, being specific for glucose – mannose, apparently binds to the mannan component of the yeast cell wall. At this time, it is not clear why the yeast binds to traps of Monacrosporium rutgeriensis since the trap lectin is highly specific for 2-deoxyglucose, a saccharide that does not appear to occur in nature.