VARIATION IN LIPID AND FATTY-ACID COMPOSITION OF 2 ASPERGILLUS SPECIES GROWN ON GLUCOSE OR DODECANE

Two species of Aspergillus, A. terreus and A. sulphureus, were grown in an inorganic medium provided with either glucose or dodecane as sole source of carbon. Their total lipids and sterols were extracted and analyzed. Dodecane-grown fungi contained more total lipids and sterols than glucose-grown fungi. Dodecane-grown mycelia accumulated substantial amounts of triacylglycerols, fatty acids, sterols and diacylglycerophosphoethanolamines. The major acyl moieties in total lipids from glucose-grown fungi were palmitic, oleic, and linoleic acids. In addition, small amounts of palmitoleic and stearic acids were also present and were confined to diacylglycerophosphoethanolamines. Dodecane-grown mycelia contained higher concentrations pf fatty acids with chain length less than 16 carbon atoms in their total lipids than did glucose-grown fungi. These fatty acids were mainly present in the free form. In all extracts traces of linolenic acid and fatty acids with longer chains were also detected. The major sterol was ergosterol; lesser-amounts of lanosterol and calciferol were detected. Dodecane-grown fungi contained more ergosterol than glucose-grown fungi.