Lipid composition of housefly microsomes

The lipid composition of microsomes isolated from whole-body preparations of a diazinon-resistant strain of the housefly (Musca domestica L.) was determined. When calculated on a mg% basis housefly microsomes are composed of 47% neutral lipids and 53% phospholipids. The free fatty acids compose the major group of compounds among neutral lipids (60%) and the major phospholipid is phosphatidylethanolamine (47.6%). The molar cholesterol/phospholipid ratio is 0.14, ca. twofold higher than the ratio found in mammalian liver microsomes. Fatty acid composition of housefly microsomes is notable only in that there is no uniform distribution of fatty acid moieties throughout the various classes of lipids, except for linoleic acid (18:2), which accounted for 9.2-12.6% of the neutral lipids. Eighty percent of the fatty acid moieties of phosphatidylserine (+ phosphatidylinositol) were unsaturated. The highest percentage of saturated fatty acid moieties (64.26%) was found in lysophosphatidylethanolamine. Palmitoleic acid (16:1), the major fatty acid found in higher dipterans, ranged from 13.51% in lysophosphatidylethanolamine to 37.45% in the free fatty acids. One prostaglandin (PGF_1d) and leukotriene B₄ were detected in the microsomal lipids at concentrations of 59.7 and 716 pg/200 mg of protein, respectively.     

Changes of Lipid Composition with Growth Phase of Cryptococcus neoformans

Qualitative and quantitative profiles of phospholipids, neutral lipids, and fatty acid composition in Cr. neoformans during the growth phase were investigated in relation to pyrophosphatidic acid. A marked increase of the total lipid content, which depended on the accumulation of triglyceride in yeast cells with the growth, was observed. The total phospholipid contents in yeast cells remained almostly constant during the exponential phase and slightly decreased in the stationary phase. The major phospholipids of this yeast were phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylserine, and cardiolipin, the next groups being pyrophosphatidic acid, phosphatidic acid, lysophos-phatidylcholine, and unidentified components. The amounts of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositol, and cardiolipin were fairly constant throughout the growth phase, but the amount of phosphatidylethanolamine increased and that of phosphatidylserine decreased with progressive growth. The pyrophosphatidic acid contents were 0.9~0.7% for total phospholipid during the growth phase. The major fatty acids of pyrophosphatidic acid were C_16:0, C_18:1, and C_18:2 acids. The changing patterns of fatty acid composition in pyrophosphatidic acid through the growth phase closely resembled that of phosphatidic acid, which contained larger amounts of C_18:1 acid (35~45%) than C_16:0 acid (30~25%) and C_18:2 acid (30~25%). Phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylinositol contained considerable amounts of saturated fatty acid (C_16:0 acid, more than 55%). On the other hand, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, and cardiolipin contained extremely large amounts of unsaturated fatty acid (C_18:1 and C_18:2 acid, 85ç90%).     

纤维单胞菌属放线菌的研究进展

纤维单胞菌属(Cellulomonas)的一些菌株能够产生多种纤维素酶,在纤维素降解方面显示出明显优势。1923年Bergey等以产黄纤维单胞菌为模式菌建立了纤维单胞菌属。1991年Stackebrand和Prauser又以纤维单胞菌属为模式属建立了纤维单胞菌科(Cellulomonadaceae)。目前,纤维单胞菌属包含有从多种环境中分离培养得到的26个有效描述种。纤维单胞菌属菌株在分类学上的典型特征是:细胞壁的肽聚糖成分主要含有Orn和Glu/Asp,以MK-9(H4)为主要的甲基萘醌,主要的脂肪酸成分为anteiso-C15:0和C16:0,极性脂成分主要包括双磷脂酰甘油(DPG)和磷脂酰肌醇甘露糖甙(PIM)。基因组DNA的G+C含量为(68.5–76.0)mol%。最近,本实验室分离到2株纤维单胞菌,应用多相分类研究手段确定了他们的分类学地位。本文将结合我们的研究,对纤维单胞菌属的建立、分类学特征及其在生态和酶资源应用方面进行综述。     

Polyphosphoinositol lipids inChlamydomonas eugametos gametes

InChlamydomonas eugametos gametes, phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PtdInsP) and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PtdInsP₂) comprised 0.4 and 0.3% of the whole-cell phospholipids. They were concentrated in the plasma membrane around the cell body and were present in low concentrations in the flagellar membrane. When gametes were fed³²PO ₄ ^- , the label was rapidly incorporated into PtdInsP and PtdInsP₂ and only slowly incorporated into structural lipids such as phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol. Similarly, when a pulse of³²PO ₄ ^- was chased with PO ₄ ^- , the label was rapidly lost from the polyphosphoinositol lipids but not from the structural lipids. The major fatty acids in the polyphosphoinositides were C-22 carbon polyenoic acids (70%). The significance of these results in relationship to intracellular signalling via inositol phosphates and Ca²⁺ is discussed.Abbreviations InsP₃ inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate - mt^–/mt⁺ mating-type plus or minus - PtdA phosphatidic acid - PtdEtn phosphatidylethanolamine - PtdGro phosphatidylglycerol - PtdIns phosphatidylinositol - PtdInsP phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate; - PtdInsP₂ phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate - TCA trichloroacetic acid We thank Frank Schuring for Fig. 5A and Susan Kenter, Hans Kruisselbrink, Saskia Bijvank and Nelleke Corbett for their enthousiastic assistance.     

Phospholipid and acid composition of Nocardia and nocardoid bacteria as criteria of classification

Phospholipid and acid composition of 5 strains of ‘true’ Nocardia and 4 strains of nocardoid bacteria have been studied. A great homogeneity was found in all the Nocardia species: phospholipids consist of cardiolipin, phosphatidyl ethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylinositol mannoside. Streptomyces (Nocardia) mediterranei did not contain phosphatidylinositol and Oerskovia (Nocardia) turbata had no phosphatidyl ethanolamine. The fatty acid composition of these phospholipids was determined and was found different in Nocardia and nocardoid species. Nocardia were rich in straight chain fatty acids and tuberculostearic acid while the phospholipids of nocardoid bacteria contained greater amounts of branched fatty acids. The fatty acids from acetone soluble lipids consisted of hydroxy and non-hydroxy compounds. Hydroxy acids were found in Nocardia which contained nocardic acids: high MW β-hydroxy α-branched acids and in S. mediterranei which contained β-hydroxy acids with 15–17 carbon atoms. Non-hydroxy acids were essentially palmitic and tuberculostearic acids in Nocardia species while S. mediterranei and O. turbata contained great amounts of iso acids from C₁₄ to C₁₇. Phospholipid and acid composition are discussed as criteria of taxonomic classification of Nocardia and related Actinomycetes.     

The utilization of short-chain monocarboxylic acids as carbon sources for the production of gamma-linolenic acid by Mucor strains in fed-batch culture

The Fischer-Tropsch reaction water, which contains C₂ to C₅ monocarboxylic acids, generated as a co-product of the Sasol industrial oil-from-coal process, constitutes a potential cheap carbon substrate for the production of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) by selced Mucor species. Three strains of Mucor were each grown in an air-lift reactor operated in a fed-batch, pH-stat mode under N-limitation with a mixture of C₂ to C₅ monocarboxylic acids as both pH titrant and carbon source. The production of GLA from this substrate was evaluated. Growth typically resulted in the rapid assimilation of acetic, n-butyric and n-valeric acids. Although propionic, iso-butyric and iso-valeric acids were assimilated to varying degrees, these acids accumulated in the culture. Mucor circinelloides CBS 203.28 gave the best results in that it assimilated 36% to 100% of each acid, had a biomass yield coefficient of 0.3 (calculated on acids utilized), and contained 28% crude oil, 84% of which comprised neutral lipids with a GLA content of 14.4%, giving 33 mg GLA/g biomass. GLA accumulation coincided with a decrease in the stearic-acid content of the neutral-lipid fraction. The results were comparable with previous results obtained with acetic acid and glucose as sole carbon sources, demonstrating the feasibility of producing GLA from the above mixture of organic acids.     

Verrucosispora wenchangensis sp. nov., isolated from mangrove soil

An actinomycete strain 234402^T was isolated from a mangrove soil sample collected in Wenchang, China. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain 234402^T indicated that the highest similarity was to Verrucosispora sediminis MS426^T (99.25%). The cell wall contained meso-diaminopimelic acid. The major menaquinones were MK-9(H₄) and MK-9(H₆), with MK-9(H₈) as minor components. The characteristic whole-cell sugars were xylose, mannose and glucose. The phospholipid profile was found to comprise phosphatidylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol mannoside and an unknown phospholipid. The DNA G+C content was 69.2 mol%. The results of physiological and biochemical tests and low DNA–DNA relatedness demonstrated strain 234402^T could be readily distinguished from the closely related Verrucosispora species. On the basis of these phenotypic and genotypic data, strain 234402^T represents a novel species of the genus Verrucosispora, for which the name Verrucosispora wenchangensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 234402^T (=CCTCC AA 2011018^T=DSM 45674^T).     

Bradykinin-stimulated release of [H]arachidonic acid from phospholipids of HSDM1C1 cells: Comparison of diacyl phospholipids and plasmalogens as sources of prostaglandin precursors

Ethanolamine plasmalogens (1-alk-1′-enyl-2-acyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamines) of many tissues contain high levels of arachidonate at their 2-position, and in certain tissues have been implicated as possible donors of arachidonate required in the synthesis of prostaglandins and thromboxanes. In the present study, [³H]arachidonate-labeled phospholipids of HSDM₁C₁ cells, a cell line derived from a mouse fibrosarcoma, were examined to determine the donor of the arachidonic acid released upon bradykinin stimulation of the synthesis of PGE₂. HSDM₁C₁ cells labeled with [³H]arachidonic acid for 24 hr in serum-free medium were used in most of the experiments and had the following distribution of label among the cellular lipids; phosphatidylcholine (33%), phosphatidylinositol (20%), diacyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (15%), ethanolamine plasmalogen (15%), and less polar lipids (16%). Bradykinin treatment stimulated a rapid hydrolysis of [³H]arachidonate from the cellular lipids and conversion of the released acid to PGE₂, which was secreted into the medium. The label was released predominantly from phosphatidylinositol and possibly from phosphatidylcholine with no detectable change in the labeling of diacyl- or 1-alk-1′-enyl-2-acyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine. The ethanolamine plasmalogens, therefore, do not appear to be involved in the stimulated release of arachidonate in the HSDM₁C₁ cells. Indomethacin blocked the bradykinin-stimulated synthesis of PGE₂ and to a lesser degree inhibited the release of [³H]-arachidonate from the cellular lipids into the medium.     

Turnover of lipids in Mycobacterium smegmatis CDC 46 and Mycobacterium phlei ATCC 354

The rates of breakdown and renewal of individual lipids in cultures of Mycobacterium smegmatis CDC 46 and Mycobacterium phlei ATCC 354 were investigated by means of a pulse labelling technique using palmitate-1-¹⁴C. The results indicated that in growing cultures of both strains phospholipids were broken down, and cardiolipin had a very rapid turnover. In chase experiments, almost 45% and 40% of the radioactivity of this component were lost respectively from M. smegmatis and M. phlei during one generation time of the cell. The other two major components, phosphatidyl ethanolamine and phosphatidylinositol mannosides showed relatively low turnover. The loss of radioactivity from phosphatidylinositol mannosides was greater in M. phlei than in M. smegmatis but the loss of radioactivity from phosphatidyl ethanolamine was higher in M. smegmatis. The pattern of loss of radioactivity from lipids was almost the same in both strains, the difference being only in the extent of loss. The differences in the cellular localization of the phospholipids indicate their different roles within the cell. Results obtained with the glyceride fraction indicated a very rapid turnover of triglycerides in both strains.Abbreviations CL Cardiolipin - PE Phosphatidyl ethanolamine - PIMx phosphatidylinositol mannosides - PIM₂A phosphatidylinositol dimannoside tetra acylated - PIM₂B phosphatidylinositol dimannoside tri acylated - PIM₅ phosphatidylinositol pentamannoside tetra acylated     

Lipid composition of halophilic species of Dunaliella from the dead sea

The lipid patterns of six halophilic Dunaliella species from the Dead Sea (C₉, D_11a, D_11b, D₁₃, F_20a and D. viridis) were found to be generally similar to those of halotolerant Dunaliella species previously examined, except for the presence in the halphilic Dunaliella of small to trace amounts of one or more (up to five) unidentified glycolipids. The lipids of two of the halophilic algae, species C₉ and D_11b, were studied in detail and were found to be similar in composition. Glycolipids were the major group (55.0 and 53.2 mol % for C₉ and D_11b, respectively), followed by neutral lipids (mainly triacyglycerols: 21.3 mol %; 24.6 mol %), whereas phospholipids were a much smaller fraction (6.5 mol %; 5.8 mol %). Monogalactosyldiacylglycerol was the largest component (22.0 mol %; 24.3 mol %) but digalactosyldiacylglycerol (18.7 mol %; 14.9 mol %) and sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol (14.3 mol %; 14.0 mol %) were also present in high concentrations. All phospholipids were present at low concentrations: phosphatidylglycerol (4.4 mol %; 3.1 mol %); phosphatidylethanolamine (1.1 mol %; 0.7 mol %); phosphatidylcholine (0.9 mol %; 1.9 mol %); and phosphatidylinositol (traces). Diacylglyceryl-O-(N,N,N-trimethyl)homoserine was present in C₉ and D_11b (3.3 mol %; 9.3 mol %) and in all the other species examined. Fatty acid composition of the individual lipid components of C₉ and D_11b showed characteristic differences between glycolipids and phospholipids, in a similar pattern for both algae. The major fatty acids detected in all species examined were -linolenic, linoleic, palmitic, oleic and a polyunsaturated sixteen carbon acid.     

Alteration of the phospho- or neutral lipid content and fatty acid composition in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Listeria monocytogenes</Emphasis> due to acid adaptation mechanisms for hydrochloric,acetic and lactic acids at pH 5.5 or benzoic acid at neutral pH

This study provides a first approach to observe the effects on Listeria monocytogenes of cellular exposure to acid stress at low or neutral pH, notably how phospho- or neutral lipids are involved in this mechanism, besides the fatty acid profile alteration. A thorough investigation of the composition of polar and neutral lipids from L. monocytogenes grown at pH 5.5 in presence of hydrochloric, acetic and lactic acids, or at neutral pH 7.3 in presence of benzoic acid, is described relative to cells grown in acid-free medium. The results showed that only low pH values enhance the antimicrobial activity of an acid. We suggest that, irrespective of pH, the acid adaptation response will lead to a similar alteration in fatty acid composition [decreasing the ratio of branched chain/saturated straight fatty acids of total lipids], mainly originating from the neutral lipid class of adapted cultures. Acid adaptation in L. monocytogenes was correlated with a decrease in total lipid phosphorus and, with the exception of cells adapted to benzoic acid, this change in the amount of phosphorus reflected a higher content of the neutral lipid class. Upon acetic or benzoic acid stress the lipid phosphorus proportion was analysed in the main phospholipids present: cardiolipin, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphoaminolipid and phosphatidylinositol. Interestingly only benzoic acid had a dramatic effect on the relative quantities of these four phospholipids.     

Diversity of the culturable lichen-derived actinobacteria and the taxonomy of Streptomyces parmotrematis sp. nov.

A total of 37 actinobacteria were isolated from eighteen lichen samples collected in Thailand. Based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences, they were identified into five genera including Actinoplanes (1 strain), Actinomadura (1 strain), Pseudosporangium (1 strain), Wangella (1 strain) and Streptomyces (33 strains). Among these isolates, strain Ptm05^T, Ptm01 and Ptm12 showed low 16S rRNA gene similarity and was selected for the further taxonomic study using the polyphasic approach. These strains showed the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with Streptomyces sparsogenes ATCC 25498^T (97.44–97.72%). Strain Ptm05^T was selected for the type strain. The chemical cell composition of the strain was similar to the members of Streptomyces genus. LL-diaminopimelic acids were detected in the peptidoglycan. Menaquinones were MK-9(H₈) and MK-9(H₆). Phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylinositol mannoside, one unidentified phospholipid, one unidentified glycolipid and one unidentified lipid were detected as the polar lipids. The predominant cellular fatty acids are anteiso-C_15:0, iso-C_15:0, iso-C_16:0, iso-C_17:0 and C_16:0. The dDNA-DNA hybridization values among strain Ptm05^T and its closely related Streptomyces type strains were 17.2–18.0%. In addition, the ANIb and ANIm between strain Ptm05^T and related Streptomyces type strains were ranged from 75.69 to 76.13% and 85.21 to 85.35%, respectively. Based on phenotypic and genomic evidence, strain Ptm05^T (=?TBRC 14546^T?=?NBRC 115203^T) represents the novel species of the genus Streptomyces for which the name Streptomyces parmotrematis sp. nov. is proposed. This study showed that the lichens are the promising source of the novel actinobacterial taxa.

     

Sucrose Lipids of Arthrobacteria,Corynebacteria and Nocardia Grown on Sucrose

Arthrobacter paraffineus KY 4303, when grown on sucrose as the sole carbon source, produced novel glycolipids, either of which was different from trehalose lipid produced from n-alkane by the same microorganism. Two kinds of glycolipids were isolated by chromatography on silicic acid columns. Major components of these lipids were sucrose and α-branched β-hydroxy fatty acid. One of the lipid (SL–1, having high polarity) was identified as 6-O-monofattyacyl glucosly-β-fructoside. Another (SL–2, having low polarity) was partly characterized as sucrose ester of at least two moles of the fatty acid.

Formation of sucrose lipids was also demonstrated in sucrose-grown cells of several microorganisms of Corynebacteria, Nocardia and Brevibacteria, which were isolated as hydrocarbon-utilizing bacteria and could produce a considerable amount of trehalose lipid from n-alkane.     

Paleolimnological studies using sequential lipid extraction from recent lacustrine sediment: recognition of source organisms from biomarkers

Free lipids were isolated from recent sediment of Loch Affric by solvent extraction; hydrolysis of residual sediment, initially with dilute alkali and then with mineral acid, gives two additional bound lipid components.The distribution patterns of fatty acids, hydroxyacids and total neutral constituents in these chemically-distinct lipids show that the mode of occurrence contains much information. The molecular compositions of the neutral and acidic fractions obtained from the three lipid extracts were determined by gas chromatography — mass spectrometry. Acidic and neutral free lipids show a dominance of long-chain (>C₂₀) compounds characteristic of the wax constituents of higher plants; n-alkan-2-ones and -hydroxyacids may be microbial metabolites of wax constituents. Base hydrolysis liberates C₁₆ and C₁₈ -hydroxyacids occurring widely in the cutins and suberins of higher plants together with higher homologues occurring in plant suberins. -Hydroxyacids liberated by acidic hydrolysis show a molecular size range (C₁₀-C₁₈) and abundance of branched chain compounds typically occurring in lipopolysaccharides of gram-negative bacteria. The biological sources of c. 50% of the sediment lipids were identified using this organic geochemical approach.     

The distribution of C-arachidonic acid in hamster lungs is sensitive to quinacrine

Isolated hamster lungs were labelled with ¹⁴C-arachidonic acid. When the lungs were ventillated with a respirator only a small amount of radioactivity was released to the perfusion effluent. This release was not changed significantly by pulmonary infusion of quicacrine (0.5 mM), a known inhibitor of phospholipase A₂. After the perfusion about 75% of the radioactivity in the lungs was in phospholipids, mainly in phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylinostil and to a lesser degree in phosphatidylserine and phosphatidic acid. About one fourth of the radioactivity was in neutral lipids (tri- and diacylglycerols) and as free unmetabolized ¹⁴C-arachiodonic acid. Pulmonary infusion of quinacrine increased the amount of radioactivity in diacylglycerols and phosphatidylinositol but had no effect on that in phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidic acid and triacylglycerols. The amount of radioactivity in phosphatidylethanolamine was decreased by quinacrine and increased in the vicinity of an unidentified phospholipid-quinacrine complex. The present study indicates that the distribution of ¹⁴C-arachidonic acid in hamster lung lipids is sensitive to quinacrine. The detected changes can, however, not be explained by an overall inhibition of phospholipase A₂ activities.     

The Complementarity of Extractable and Ester-Bound Lipids in a Soil Profile Under Pine

Extractable and solvent insoluble, ester-bound lipids were analysed in an acid, sandy soil profile under Corsican pine. The n-alkanes and alkanoic acids from the soil profile showed rather poor correlations with those from the pine needles and roots, while the n-alkanol composition in the mineral horizons strongly indicated the presence of lipids derived from a previous grass vegetation. Although the ester-bound lipids (ω-hydroxyalkanoic acids and α,ω-alkanedioic acids (>C₂₄)) suggested that plant sources other than pines were present in the mineral soil horizons their composition was less contaminated and a clear distinction between needle and root input could be discerned. The divergent clustering of soil horizons and plant materials by individual and combined compound classes emphasized the usefulness of both extractable lipids and cutin/suberin in unravelling (past) vegetation and tissue history and contributions to soil organic matter.     

The effect of temperature on hairy root cultures of Catharanthus roseus: Growth,indole alkaloid accumulation and membrane lipid composition

Cultivation of Catharanthus roseus hairy root cultures at different temperatures was found to have an effect on growth rate and indole alkaloid content as well as lipid composition. When lowering the temperature, the roots responded by increasing the degree of unsaturation of cellular lipids, which was mainly due to an increased proportion of linolenic acid in the main lipid classes. The modifications in lipid composition were obviously necessary for the roots to retain the proper cell membrane fluidity at each temperature. Despite of changes in membrane lipids, no effect on the distribution of indole alkaloids between the roots and the medium could be detected. Instead, the level of alkaloid accumulation showed a clear increase with lowering temperature.Abbreviations PC phosphatidylcholine - PE phosphatidylethanolamine - PI phosphatidylinositol - PS phosphatidylserine - PG phosphatidylglycerol - CL cardiolipin - DGD digalactosyldiglyceride - MGD monogalactosyldiglyceride - NL neutral lipids - DU degree of fatty acid unsaturation     

The distribution of 14C-arachidonic acid in hamster lungs is sensitive to quinacrine

Isolated hamster lungs were labelled with ¹⁴C-arachidonic acid. When the lungs were ventillated with a respirator only a small amount of radioactivity was released to the perfusion effluent. This release was not changed significantly by pulmonary infusion of quicacrine (0.5 mM), a known inhibitor of phospholipase A₂. After the perfusion about 75% of the radioactivity in the lungs was in phospholipids, mainly in phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylinostil and to a lesser degree in phosphatidylserine and phosphatidic acid. About one fourth of the radioactivity was in neutral lipids (tri- and diacylglycerols) and as free unmetabolized ¹⁴C-arachiodonic acid. Pulmonary infusion of quinacrine increased the amount of radioactivity in diacylglycerols and phosphatidylinositol but had no effect on that in phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidic acid and triacylglycerols. The amount of radioactivity in phosphatidylethanolamine was decreased by quinacrine and increased in the vicinity of an unidentified phospholipid-quinacrine complex. The present study indicates that the distribution of ¹⁴C-arachidonic acid in hamster lung lipids is sensitive to quinacrine. The detected changes can, however, not be explained by an overall inhibition of phospholipase A₂ activities.     

Lipid composition of thermophilic moulds Acremonium alabamensis and Thermomucor indicae-seudaticae

The total lipid content of Acremonium alabamensis and Thermomucor indicae-seudaticae ranged 2.6–7.3 and 8.5–13.0% of dry mycelium, respectively during development. Neutral lipid fraction increased during growth while polar and phospholipids declined. Both moulds contained palmitic, oleic, linoleic and palmitoleic acids as major fatty acid components in lipids. Degree of unsaturation of lipids of A. alabamensis was greater than that of T. indicae-seudaticae. Neutral lipids were more unsaturated than the polar lipids. The ratio of unsaturation index of polar lipids to neutral lipids was either one or less than one. The principal phospholipids of these moulds were phosphatidyl choline, phosphatidyl ethanolamine and phosphatidic acid. However, phosphatidic acid was not found in very high amounts as observed in Humicola grisea var. thermoidea.