Lipid components variation among the temperature-sensitive mutants and wild strain of Aspergillus nidulans

The fungus Aspergillus nidulans and its two temperature-sensitive mutants were grown in synthetic media at permissive and restrictive temperatures. After seven days of growth, total lipids were extracted and characterised from the mycelia. In the case of the wild strain, an increase in the incubation temperature resulted in an increase in the ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids and was inversely proportional to the ratio of short chain to long chain fatty acids. It was interesting to note that the ts mutants tested showed a decreased ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids at the higher temperature (restrictive). The ratio of short chain to long chain fatty acids of these two mutants was also found to be varied at the higher temperature. Variations were also found in the case of individual lipid components.