REEVALUATION OF THE NEUTRAL LIPIDS OF TILLETIA-CONTROVERSA AND TILLETIA-TRITICI

Differential scanning calorimetry of whole teliospores and lipid extra cts of Tilletia controversa Kuhn and T. tritica Tul. indicated that th e lipid composition of teliospores was different than earlier reported . An exothermic peak at -40 to -45 degrees C and an endotherm at -25 t o -15 degrees C indicated that the majority of lipids were triacylglyc erols (TAG). Hot isopropanol was used to inactivate lipases during lip id extraction. Thin-layer chromatographic analysis of extracted lipids showed that free fatty acids (FFA) were not present in great quantiti es unless water was present during lipid extraction. As measured by ga s chromatography, FFA accounted for 1-5% of the lipid content in telio spores of Tilletia spp. The TAG content of teliospores was 60-80% of t otal lipids.