Influence of Tween 80 on lipid metabolism of an Aspergillus niger strain.

Addition of 0.1% of nonionic surface-active Tween 80 to a medium optimized for pectolytic enzyme production of Aspergillus niger increased the amount of enzymes excreted by 70%. In the presence of Tween 80 the amount of sterol esters and triacylglycerols was increased. During the course of cultivation the amounts of precursors for ergosterol biosynthesis diminished with an increase of ergosterol. A. niger incorporated cholesterol from the medium, partly converting it to cholesterol esters. Sterol esters were formed only with selected fatty acids. Oleic acid, the hydrophobic part of Tween 80, was mainly incorporated in phospholipids and glycolipids.