Cellular and chitosomal lipids of Agaricus bisporus and Mucor rouxii

Abstract

The lipid composition of Agaricus bisporus mycelium (submerged culture) and Mucor rouxii yeast cells was determined. The mushroom mycelium contained about 5.0% lipid which consisted of oleic, linoleic, and palmitic as the principal fatty acids in the polar lipid, free fatty acid, and triacylglycerol fractions. The free sterol content (85% ergosterol) was 0.2% of the mycelial dry weight. Mucor rouxii cells contained 3.4% lipid to which phospholipid, sterol (25% ergosterol), and squalene contributed 35, 4, and 2%, respectively. Yeast cell total fatty acids ranged from C12 to C20 with oleic and palmitic being predominant. Phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine were major glycerophospholipids of both species. The lipid composition of chitosomes from both species was generally similar to that of the respective total cellular lipid. Chitosomal lipids had no characteristic feature that suggested a particular functional significance with respect to chitin synthetase.