Effect of undecanoic acid on lipid composition of Trichophyton rubrum.

Phospholipid and neutral lipid composition of undecanoic acid (UDA) resistant mutant of Trichophyton rubrum were compared with those of the UDA sensitive parent strain of this dermatophyte. When grown in glucose-peptone broth under identical conditions, contents of neutral and phospholipids in UDA resistant mutant were nearly double of those in the UDA sensitive parent strain. Glyceride, sterol, sterol ester and phospholipid contents of mycelium increased when UDA sensitive strain was grown in presence of low concentration of UDA, sufficient to cause partial growth inhibition of this strain. UDA in growth medium did not change the lipid composition of the UDA resistant mutant.