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J Bacteriol. 1974 June; 118(3): 844-847
Copyright © 1974 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Effect of Substrate on the Fatty Acid Composition of Hydrocarbon-Utilizing Filamentous Fungi¹

^a Department of Microbiology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27607

ABSTRACT

The fatty acid pattern in hydrocarbon-utilizing filamentous fungi was determined after growth on acetate, propionate, n-alkanes (C₁₃ to C₁₅), and alk-1-enes (C₁₄ to C₁₈). The fatty acid profile of Cunninghamella elegans and Penicillium zonatum after growth on acetate shows a predominance of even-carbon fatty acids (C₁₆, C_18:1, C_18:2), whereas cells grown on propionate showed significantly higher levels of odd-carbon fatty acids (C₁₅, C₁₇, C_17:1). Growth on n-alkanes resulted in the incorporation of fatty acids homologous to the growth substrate. Cunninghamella elegans grown on the alk-1-enes from C₁₄ to C₁₈ incorporated the unsaturated substrate into cellular fatty acid after oxidation at the saturated end of the molecule. Regardless of substrate these fungi contain, predominantly, fatty acids 18 carbons in length.

¹ Paper no. 4262 of the Journal Series of the North Carolina State University Agricultural Experiment Station, Raleigh, N.C. 27607.