[Lipid composition of certain predatory species of fungi of the genus Arthrobotrys].

The aim of this work was to study the effect of the composition of the medium on the biosynthetic activity of fungi belonging to the genus Arthrobotrys, the content of different lipid fractions in them, and their fatty acid composition. The following fractions typical of the majority of microbial species were found in the lipid composition of these predaceous fungi: phospholipids, monoglycerides, diglycerides, sterols, free fatty acids, and triglycerides. The fungi were capable of accumulating from 2.4 to 13.2% of lipids in the mycelium. The elevated synthesis of lipids was observed in Arthrobotrys longa 14 and A. musiformis 123 in the modified Meise medium and in wort. The content of lipids in the mycelium was low and the fractions of phospholipids and sterols prevailed upon the growth in chemically defined media. The content of triglycerides was high when the fungi grew in the Meise medium and wort. The fatty acid composition of lipids was identical in all of the studied cultures. The principal saturated fatty acids were myristic, palmitic and stearic. Among unsaturated fatty acids, a high content of oleic and linoleic acids was registered.