[Submicroscopic surface organization of Candida lipolytica cells growing on hexadecane]

The ultrastructure of the cell wall surface was studied in two Candida lipolytica strains, IBPhM-160 (704) and 1, during their growth on hexadecane, using the technique of ultrathin sections. Linear three-layer membranes, membrane vesicles and complicated membrane complexes were shown to appear on the surface of the cell walls when the yeast strains were grown on hexadecane. The rate of membrane formation was greater in the cells of strain 1, and increased in the both strains by the stationary growth phase. Since no cells underwent lysis at any of the growth phases studied, the formation of membrane complexes on the yeast cell wall should reflect the reconstruction of the surface of morphologically intact cells grown on hexadecane.