[Action of polyene antibiotics on actinomycetes with a varying lipid makeup]

The effect of polyenic antibiotics, such as nystatin, levorin, amphotericin B and mycoheptin on 93 representatives of various species of the ray fungi was studied. It was shown that resistance of the actinomycetes to the polyens was connected with the absence or insufficient content of sterols (0.001--0.008 per cent in the dry mycelium). On addition of cholesterol to the nutrient media (100 microgram/ml) it was included into the membranes of some cultures and their sensitivity increased 2--60 times. Resistance of Actinomyces sp. LIA 0775 grown on the media with fats differing in their composition decreased 2--4 times. In these cases the culture lipids were characterized by lower content of phospholipids (35--45 per cent from the total lipids as compared to 70--80 per cent when grown on the control medium without fats) and significantly increased content of unsaturated fatty acids (3--4 times).