EFFECT OF PH AND AGE OF CULTURE ON CELLULAR FATTY-ACID COMPOSITION OFLEUCONOSTOC-OENOS

This study is concerned with the fatty acid composition of three strai ns of Leuconostoc oenos grown at different pH. The most abundant fatty acids were C18: 1 omega(9), C19:0 cy(omega(9,10)) and C16:0, followed by C16: 1 omega(9) and C14:0. The pH considerably modified the fatty acid distribution in Lo107 (an acidophilic strain) and Lo8413 ( a mode rately acidophilic strain). However, moderate changes occurred for LoA TCC 23277 (a less acidophilic strain). At pH 2.9, Lo107 has a remarkab ly high level of C19 : 0 cy-(omega(9,10)) and C19:0 cy(omega(11,12)). Proportions of C18:1 and C19:0 cycle acids varied mainly with the pH o f the medium and also as a function of growth phase. The degree of uns aturation of fatty acids also varied with pH.