The effect of immobilization on the cell wall of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells was investigated in comparison with freely suspended batch grown cells. The pattern of mannoproteins released from the cell wall after Zymolyase digestion showed the presence of new mannoprotein species when cell growth takes place in a state of immobilization. The same result was obtained by exposure of freely suspended cells to a stressful concentration of ethanol, showing that two different adverse culture conditions induce a similar molecular response at the cell wall level.