Effect of environmental factors on the limpid composition, membrane structure and permeability of Microsporum gypseum.

Supplementation with unsaturated fatty acids, substitution of glucose by glycerol as carbon source and lowered growth temperature (20°C) increased the total phospholipid content of Microsporum gypseum spheroplasts. Levels of sterols increased with glycerol substitution and decreased in other growth conditions. Substantial changes were seen in the ratios of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids and phosphatidylcholine to phosphatidylethanolafne under all the experimental conditions. Changed lipid composition resulted in altered uptake of amino acids (L-lysine, L-aspartic acid and L-glycine) and increased number of binding sites for a fluorescent probe, 1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonate.