Effect of exogenous lipids on fatty acid metabolism and accumulation in fungal cells

It was found that lipids of Phytophthora fungi and zygomycetes may include fatty acids directly incorporated or formed from exogenous lipids. In the presence of exogenous lipids, the yield of cellular fatty acids in Phytophthora fungi increased due to the activation of growth. The relative content of linoleic acid in the zygomycete Cunninghamella japonica increased threefold in both total fatty acids and fungal biomass. Palmitic acid formed by oxidation of exogenous n-hexadecane was either accumulated by cells (C. japonica) or converted into eicosapolyenoic acids, as was observed in Mortierella alpina. In antibiotic-producing fungi, growth on media containing exogenous lipids resulted in an increase in the nonsaturation degree of cellular lipids and the appearance of polyenoic C-20 acids. These lipids were successfully tested in some technological processes.