SQUALENE METABOLISM IN 2 SPECIES OF LAGENIDIUM

Squalene metabolism of the sterol auxotroph Lagenidium giganteum was s tudied and compared with that of the positive control Lagenidium calli nectes. Application of experimentally derived precautions ensured both the stability and the purity of squalene during incubations. Under th ese conditions mycelia of L. giganteum converted squalene to squalene oxide and to a sterol-like compound. Cell-free and microsomal preparat ions also converted squalene to the oxide, which was identified by thi n layer chromatography with five different solvent systems, by co-chro matography with authentic oxide, and by conversion to the glycol. Supp orting evidence for the production of squalene oxide was obtained by g as-liquid chromatography, high performance liquid chromatography, and autoradiography. The squalene oxide produced was identified by mass sp ectrometry.