The ability of ectomycorrhizal fungi to utilize fatty acids and a lipid as a carbon source for mycelial growth

Abstract

We have investigated growth of ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi (i.e., 55 strains of 32 species in 15 genera) on saturated (palmitate), monounsaturated (oleate), diunsaturated (linoleate), triunsaturated (linolenate) fatty acids, and the triacylglyceride of oleate (triolein) lipid to elucidate an ability to utilize the fatty acids and lipid as a carbon source for growth. Relative utilization ratios (URs, %) based on mycelial growth on glucose suggest that ECM fungi belonging to the family Thelephoraceae have an ability to utilize palmitate. On the other hand, ECM fungi in the genus Laccaria can utilize at least either palmitate or oleate. Furthermore, Hygropharus russula grows on palmitate, oleate, and slightly on triolein. Lactarius chrysorrheus grows only on palmitate. These fatty-acid- and lipid-utilizing fungi may be promising as model fungi for further elucidation of the metabolic ability to utilize the fatty acids and lipid as a carbon source. On the contrary, the fungi in the genus Suillus were shown to scarcely utilize the fatty acids and lipid. Furthermore, most ECM fungi did not grow on either linoleate or linolenate.Key words: carbon source, ectomycorrhizal fungi, fatty acid, lipid, mycelial growth.