Identification of crystalline material found in the thallus of the lichen, Myelochroa leucotyliza

Lichens are symbiotic associations of fungi and algae (or cyanobacteria). Fungal cells produce large amounts of lipid, assisted by algae, and secrete them out of the cells. Some of the secreted lipids crystallize in the thallus of the lichen. The crystalline materials sometimes occupy 30% of total dry weight of the thallus. This unusual amount of lipid crystal led to our interest in investigating the mechanism of lipid secretion. To begin the cell biological study of lipid secretion and to know the significance of the existence of such crystals in the thallus, it is essential to identify the crystal. The lipid crystal extracted from the thallus of a lichen, Myelochroa leucotyliza, was studied by EM observations, TLC analysis, and EM and X-ray diffraction methods. Atranorin is the predominant component of the crystalline materials in the lipids extracted.