Lipid composition of Microsporum gypseum

Lipids of dermatophytes

This investigation deals with phosphatides and fatty acid content of Epidermophyton floccosum, Microsporum cookie and Trichophyton mentagrophytes during different phases of growth. Total phosphatide content of these dermatophytes decreased with age, which was reflected in constituent major phosphatides. The zwitterionic and anionic phospholipids tended to maintain a constant ratio. Short chain fatty acids increased significantly with age in E. floccosum whereas these fatty acids represented a minor fraction of the total fatty acids in M. cookie and T. mentagrophytes. The ratio of saturated to unsaturated fatty acids increased 4-fold during growth in E. floccosum, whereas this increase was marginal in M. cookie. This ratio decreased in T. mentagrophytes.

An unusual lipid in the human pathogenic fungus Epidermophyton floccosum

The dermatophyte Epidermophyton floccosum contains an unusual lipid characterized as 1(3),2-diacylglyceryl-3(1)-O-4'-(N,N,N-trimethyl)homoserine. Its concentration in E. floccosum is approx. 15% of the polar lipids. The role of this lipid in the biosynthesis of polar lipids and fatty acids is not yet known. However, it is interesting from a chemotaxonomic viewpoint that the lipids from two other genera of dermatophyte, Microsporum cookei and Trichophyton rubrum do not contain this novel lipid.