INFLUENCE OF TEMPERATURE ON BIOSYNTHESIS OF FATTY-ACIDS OF 2 FILAMENTOUS FUNGI, ASPERGILLUS-OCHRACEUS AND MUCOR-MUCEDO

The two moulds, Mucor mucedo and Aspergillus ochraceus, grow very rapidly at 22°; when transferred to 12°, Mucor shows a regular growth and sporulation while Aspergillus development is almost entirely inhibited. 14C Acetate was supplied to both fungi at 12° and 22°. In both, the total radioactivity of saturated fatty acids was less important at the lowest temperature. In contrast, C 18:1 radioactivity rose in Mucor while it was C 18:2 radioactivity which rose in Aspergillus at the lowest temperature. There was an increase in phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) radioactivities in Mucor while the phosphatidylserine (PS) radioactivity decreased at low temperature. By contrast, when Aspergillus was placed in the same cultural conditions, PE and PC radioactivities decreased while PS radioactivity increased. Based on these results, a tentative explanation of the improved cold-resistance of M. mucedo is presented. © 1979.