Studies on carotenogenesis in Blakeslea trispora—I. : General observations on synthesis in mated and unmated strains

Abstract

Mated strains of Blakeslea trispora synthesized under our cultural conditions about 850 μg/g dry wt. of carotenes of which about one third is β-carotene, about one third is phytoene, about one sixth γ-carotene and the remainder consists of small amounts of phytofluene, ζ-carotene, lycopene with traces of β-zeacarotene and neurosporene. Unmated (+) and (−) strains synthesize about 30 and 50 μg/g dry wt. of β-carotene, and only traces of γ-carotene and lycopene. Diphenylamine strongly inhibits β-carotene synthesis in mated strains and greatly stimulates phytoene production (2·9 mg/g dry wt.). The main sterol in (+),(−) and mated strains is ergosterol; synthesis of ergosterol in the mated strain is about two times greater than in the unmated strains.