Sphingolipids of the fungiPhycomycetes blakesleeanus andFusarium lini

Abstract

Ceramides and cerebrosides isolated fromPhycomyces blakesleeanus andFusarium lini together comprise ca. 0.2–0.3% of the cell dry weight, which is ca. 7–8% of the wet weight. The long chain bases obtained from these sphingolipids are (A) 16-methyl-4-hydroxy heptadecasphinganine; (B) 4-hydroxy octadecasphinganine; (C) 17-methyl-4-hydroxy octadecasphinganine; (D) 18-methyl-4-hydroxy nonadecasphinganine; (E) 19-methyl-4-hydroxy eicosasphinganine; (F) 20-methyl-4-hydroxy heneicosasphinganine; (G) 20-methyl-4-hydroxy heneicosa-X₁-sphingenine; (H) 20-methyl-4-hydroxy-heneicosa-X₂-sphingenine; (I) 4-hydroxy docosasphinganine; (J) 4-hydroxy docosa-X₁-sphingenine; and (K) 4-hydroxy docosa-X₂-sphingenine (The position, geometry and nature of unsaturation are unknown. The subscripts indicate the presence of two different unsaturated bases.) The occurrence in biological materials other than mushrooms of bases (D), (F), (G), (H), (I), (J) and (K) has not been previously reported. (The nomenclature used is that recommended by IUPAC-IUB Commission on Biochemical Nomenclature. The configurations at carbon atoms 2, 3 and 4 are unknown in all cases.) The major normal fatty acids are palmitate, stearate, octadecenoate and octadecadienoate inP. blakesleeanus and stearate inF. lini. The predominant hydroxy fatty acids are hydroxypentadecanoate and hydroxypalmitate inP. blakesleeanus and hydroxy stearate inF. lini. The hexose from the cerebrosides of both fungi is glucose, except cerebroside II ofP. blakesleeanus which contains glucose and galactose.