DIMORPHISM AND LIPID-COMPOSITION OF THE FUNGUS MUCOR LUSITANICUS

The yeastlike growth of the fungus Mucor lusitanicus is observed on a medium with a high concentration of glucose (15%) under aerobic condit ions. Such growth is accompanied by more that a two-fold decrease in t he gamma-linolenic acid content in lipids, whereas the concentration o f palmitoleic acid increases from 3.8 to 13.3% in comparison with the control (6%-glucose medium). Similar changes in the fatty acid composi tion occur in lipid fractions. This seems to be the mode of maintainin g the membrane fluidity under the conditions of a sharp decrease in th e content of the highly unsaturated fatty acid.