The Effect of Sodium Chloride on the Lipid Content and Fatty Acid Composition of Candida Albicans

SUMMARY

The cultivation of Candida albicans in a chemically defined medium supplemented with sodium chloride resulted in a decrease in viable cell counts, dry cell weights, and a concomitant increase in the percentage of extractable cellular lipids. Gas chromatographic analysis indicated that the qualitative fatty acid pattern of C. albicans was essentially unaltered by growth in the presence of various levels of NaCl, whereas significant quantitative changes were noted. Growth in the presence of specific concentrations of NaC1 resulted in an increase in the relative distribution of the fatty acids 12: 0, 16: 0, 16: 1, 18: 3, and a decrease in 18: 1. The 18: 1 and 18: 2 components, however, predominated as the major fatty acids. Under all experimental conditions, the total amounts of extractable unsaturated fatty acids was greater than the saturated fatty acid components. However, the presence of NaCl in excess of 1% caused a decrease in the relative amount of total unsaturated fatty acids recovered. The present report suggests that changes in growth conditions tend not to alter the qualitative fatty acid spectrum of C. albicans but may significantly change the relative amounts of individual fatty acids present.