Glycolipids of the smut fungus Ustilago maydis from cultivation on renewable resources

When grown on vegetable oils and their derivatives, the smut fungus Ustilag o maydis (DSM 4500 and ATCC 14826) produces several glycolipids under nitro gen-limiting conditions. With 45 g l(-1) sunflower oil fatty acids (technic al grade) a yield of 30 g l(-1) glycolipid was achieved. The resulting mixt ure contained predominantly mannosylerythritol lipids together with smaller amounts of cellobiose lipids. The production of the more polar cellobiose lipids was enhanced when glucose was used as carbon source. The molecular s tructure of the main components of the glycolipid mixture were elucidated b y a combination of NMR spectroscopic and mass-spectrometric techniques.