Lipids of the yeast Hansenula anomala

An analysis of the free lipids of Hansenula anomala was performed. The main fatty acids obtained by saponification of whole cell crude lipids were palmitic, C18:1, C18:2 and C18:3 acids. In mitochondrial lipids the tri-unsaturated acid was present as traces. Fatty acid composition of each class of lipids was also determined. Phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine were the main phospholipids; phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylinositol and cardiolipin were also characterized. The most abundant sterols were ergosterol and lanosterol. An acetate of a 24-ethyl cholesterol was also isolated. Two glycolipids, a galactosyl diglyceride and a glucosyl ceramide were identified; concerning the galactosyl diglyceride, the content of C18:3 acid was higher than in other lipid classes. In the glucosyl ceramide, the main fatty acid was alpha-hydroxy C18:0 acid; C16:0, C18:1, C18:2 and C18:3 acids were present too. The long chain base was shown to be C18-phytosphingosine (4-hydroxy C18 sphinganine). Some similarities and differences with Saccharomyces cerevisiae are discussed.