[Analysis of higher fatty acids of fungi of the genus Candida using gas chromatography].

The fatty acid composition of the cell biomass of 136 strains of 9 species belonging to the genus Candida was investigated. The cell walls were found to contain the following fatty acids: myristic, hexadecenoic, palmitic, heptadecanoic, linoleic, linolenic, stearic, lignocerinic and oleic. Acids with 18 carbon atoms in the chain i.e. oleic, linoleic and linolenic predominated. Every species had a special ratio of the acids. In the taxonomic determination of fungi within Candida as well as other yeast-like fungi it was shown promising to consider the composition of the higher fatty acids in the cells.