THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE OMEGA-3-SERIES AND OMEGA-6-SERIES OF CELLULARLONG-CHAIN FATTY-ACIDS IN FUNGI

VANDERWESTHUIZEN JPJ KOCK JLF BOTHA A BOTES PJ

Jpj. Vanderwesthuizen et al., THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE OMEGA-3-SERIES AND OMEGA-6-SERIES OF CELLULARLONG-CHAIN FATTY-ACIDS IN FUNGI, Systematic and applied microbiology, 17(3), 1994, pp. 327-345

37

INGLESE

Article

Microbiology,"Biothechnology & Applied Migrobiology

Systematic and applied microbiology → ACNP

0723-2020

17

3

1994

327 - 345

ISI

0723-2020(1994)17:3<327:TDOTOA>2.0.ZU;2-6

Stable long-chain fatty acid profiles were produced when 245 fungi (so me associated with disease) were analysed for fatty acid composition d uring late growth or stationary growth phases. Fungi of the Protoctist a studied i.e. Allomyces were all characterized by the presence of the omega 6 (omega 6) series of fatty acids and include C18 and C20 polyu nsaturated fatty acids (PUFA's). The disease associated zygomycetous f ungi studied, also produced the omega 6 series of fatty acids, althoug h most representatives were characterized by the presence of omega 6 C 18 PUFA's. Disease associated fungi belonging to the Deuteromycotina d id not produce the omega 6 series of PUFA's. Some were characterized b y 18:3 omega 3 (omega 3) and others by the production of fatty acids u p to 18:2. Some yeasts did not produce omega 3- or omega 6 series of P UFA's. These results further confirm the general pattern observed in f ungi where the ''ancestral'' protoctistan fungi are characterized by t he presence of the omega 6 series of C18 and C20 PUFA's, the zygomycet ous fungi by the presence of mainly omega 6 C18 PUFA's and the Dikaryo mycota by the presence of omega 3 and not omega 6 PUFA's. Consequently , this phenotypic characteristic may also have value in discriminating between higher fungal taxa.