Cerulenin inhibits de novo sophorolipid synthesis of Candida bombicola.

Synthesis of medium-chain sophorolipids by Candida bombicola is a challenging objective. One of the difficulties is that the obtained sophorolipids always represent a mixture of medium-chain and native de novo formed or long-chain sophorolipids. The fatty acid moiety of de novo sophorolipids is derived from the de novo synthesis of fatty acids. Fatty acid synthesis can be blocked by the antifungal agent cerulenin, an inhibitor if the fatty acid synthase (FAS) complex acting on the beta-ketoacyl thioester synthetase reaction. The toxic effect of cerulenin on C. bombicola was evaluated and 20 mg/ml was added in the stationary growth phase. No de novo formed sophorolipids were observed when the cells were cultured on merely glucose. Also when the hydrophilic substrate, 1,12-dodedanediol, was added, no de novo formed sophorolipids were detected, leading to a reduced complexity of the sophorolipid mixture.