EVIDENCE FOR THE INVOLVEMENT OF LINOLEIC-ACID AND OTHER ENDOGENOUS LIPID FACTORS IN PERITHECIAL DEVELOPMENT OF NECTRIA-HAEMATOCOCCA MATING POPULATION .6.

Investigations were made to identify chemical factors involved with fruit body formation in Nectria haematococca MPVI. Initially, major stages in the development from protoperithecia to fertile perithecia were identified. No sex morphogen capable of triggering the development of perithecia from protoperithecia in unmated cultures was detected. However, neutral lipid extracts from 10 day mated cultures contained at least four components capable of significantly enhancing the production of fertile perithecia in crosses. This enhancement resulted from an increase in production of all developmental stages from protoperithecia to mature perithecia. Exogenously applied linoleic acid similarly enhanced perithecial production. A two-fold increase in the level of free linoleic acid was detected during perithecial formation, with a peak correlated with the development of immature perithecia from protoperithecia. Linoleic acid may therefore be involved in perithecial production and is likely to be one of the active components of lipid extracts from 10 day mated cultures. Changes in lipid metabolism and morphology were associated with at least 13 changes in levels of soluble cell polypeptides during perithecial development.