Lipid components of the hydrocarbon assimilating yeast Candida lipolytica (strain 10)

The utilization of n-hexadecane by Candida lipolytica (stain 10) was studied with respect to the lipid content, phospholipid and fatty acid profiles resulting at various growth times. Thin layer chromatography of the lipid extracts showed quantitative changes in the different lipid classes. The phospholipid fraction obtained at each growth time was separated into 8 classes: lysophosphatidylcholine, sphingomyelin, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, glycophospholipid, phosphatidylglycerol, cardiolopin, and phosphatidic acid. Differences in the percentage fatty acid composition of the lipid extracts were observed at various stages of growth. The cellular fatty acids included palmitic, palmitoleic (35-52%), stearic, oleic, linoleic (26-39%), and pentadecanoic (2-12%) as major components. This indicates that fatty acid(s) of the same length as that of the substrate was the most abundant component, thus showing intact incorporation mechaism. Fatty acids having longer chain lengths were also formed in substantial amounts indicating C2 addition and beta-oxidation of the fatty acids formed in the yeast.