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Thermophilic fungi: IV. The lipid composition of six species
Author(s) -
Bruszewski T. E.,
Fergus C. L.,
Mumma R. O.
Publication year - 1972
Publication title -
lipids
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.601
H-Index - 120
eISSN - 1558-9307
pISSN - 0024-4201
DOI - 10.1007/bf02533117
Subject(s) - thermophile , degree of unsaturation , chemistry , biochemistry , phospholipid , fatty acid , biology , food science , chromatography , enzyme , membrane
The lipid composition of six thermophilic fungi ( Myriococcum albomyces, Mucor miehei, Papulaspora thermophila, Rhizopus sp., Thielavia thermophila (+) Thielavia thermophila (−), and Torula thermophila ) was examined. The relative per cent total lipids (4.9–26.3%), neutral lipids (55.5–88.3%), polar lipids (11.7–44.6%) and the fatty acid profile of each lipid fraction was determined. The predominant fatty acids were 16∶0, 18∶0 and 18∶2, and lesser amounts of 12∶0, 14∶0, 15∶0, 16∶1, 16∶2, 17∶0 and 18∶3 were present. The total lipids contained an average of 0.96 double bonds per mole fatty acid (unsaturation index [USI]) the neutral lipids 0.86 USI and the polar lipids 0.84 USI, excluding the values for Torula thermophila . These data show a high degree of saturation and are consistent with data reported for other fungal thermophiles. Torula thermophila possessed abnormally high USI values (1.15–1.50) and was cultured at three different temperatures (25, 45 and 51 C). As the culture temperature of Torula thermophila increased, the USI decreased. The USI of the polar lipids of Torula thermophila at 25, 45 and 51 C were 1.50, 1.28 and 1.11, respectively. Thus the membrane lipids of this fungus appear unusual for a thermophile.