FATTY ACID LIPID AND CYANEIN PRODUCTION BY PENICILLIUM CYANEUM

The lipid constituents of Penicillium cyaneum during the production phase of the macrolide antibiotic cyanein have been studied. Triglycerides were the main components of the neutral lipids and phosphatidyl ethanolamine was the major constituent of the polar lipids. The fatty acid pattern showed a similarity to those of several other fungi. No unusual fatty acids as possible precursors of the cyanein molecule were found. Palmitic, stearic, oleic and linoleic acids were the major fatty acids present. The course of linoleic acid production was very similar to that of cyanein, while the relative percentages of the other major fatty acids showed only slight variations during the cyanein production phase. © 1969 Springer-Verlag.