title: Production of long-chain alcohols by yeasts.
abstract: Fourteen yeast strains from six genera were analysed for the presence of long-chain alcohols. Six strains from three genera contained long-chain alcohols, highest levels being found in Candida albicans. The alcohols were identified and determined by TLC, GLC and GLC-MS. The major long-chain alcohols synthesized by these organisms were saturated, primary alcohols with C14, C16 or C18 chain length. Unsaturated long-chain alcohols were not detected. In all strains that produced long-chain alcohols, the relative proportions were C16 greater than C18 greater than C14. Long-chain alcohol contents were higher in organisms from anaerobically, as compared with aerobically, grown cultures reaching about 650 micrograms (g dry wt organisms)-1 in stationary-phase cultures of C. albicans. In cultures of C. albicans, synthesis of long-chain alcohols occurred only after the end of exponential growth. The alcohols were predominantly present as free alcohols. The fatty-acyl chain-length profile of the triacylglycerol and to a lesser extent the sterol/wax ester fractions from C. albicans reflected that of the long-chain alcohols produced by this yeast.
authors.affiliation: Zymology Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, Bath University, Avon, UK.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Hammond
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Rose
mesh_terms: D000438:Alcohols / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002175:Candida / Q000378:metabolism; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000378:metabolism; D002729:Chloromercuribenzoates / Q000494:pharmacology; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D005658:Fungi / Q000378:metabolism*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis; D010843:Pichia / Q000378:metabolism; D012246:Rhodospirillum / Q000378:metabolism; D012248:Rhodotorula / Q000378:metabolism; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000378:metabolism; D012442:Saccharomycopsis / Q000378:metabolism; D020245:p-Chloromercuribenzoic Acid
chemical_list: D000438:Alcohols; D002729:Chloromercuribenzoates; D008055:Lipids; D020245:p-Chloromercuribenzoic Acid