ARACHIDONIC-ACID PRODUCTION BY SPECIES OF MORTIERELLA

A growth-inhibiting, aspirin-containing medium was developed to select arachidonic-acid-(ARA)-producing Mortierella species and to determine the fatty-acid content of 87 Mortierella strains. ARA was detected in 66 strains from 33 species and its production may prove useful for sy stematic studies on Mortierella spp. The ARA content of the 66 produci ng strains tested ranged from 4% to 55% of total lipids. Most of the A RA-producing strains of Mortierella (59 strains) grown on potato/gluco se/agar synthesized < 20% ARA. Four strains produced between 20% and 2 5% ARA and three produced > 40%. An inverse relationship was observed between ARA and oleic-acid contents.