Abstract
Analyses of total lipids extracted from the axenic culture of Piptocephalis virginiana , a biotrophic mycoparasite of mucoraccous fungi, revealed lack of (i) γ-linolenic acid, a polyunsaturated fatty acid characteristic of the order Mucorales and of (ii) diphosphatidylglycerol. Host infection resulted in an increase of total lipids, up to 25% or more, and this increase was mainly due to the polar lipid fraction since the neutral lipid fraction remained fairly constant in the infected and uninfected hosts. The percentage of γ-linolenic acid in phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, and diphosphatidylglycerol increased considerably in the infected host. Unequivocal evidence is presented to show that the degree of parasitism in P. virginiana is related directly to the level of γ-linolenic acid in the host. Neither the degree of unsaturation nor any other polyunsaturated fatty acid could replace γ-linolenic acid. The significance of the absence of γ-linolenic acid and diphosphatidylglycerol from the parasite's lipids is discussed.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
