XVI International Botanical Congess

The lipid and fatty acid distributions in cultured and fresh-isolated lichen symbionts were studied. Contents and composition of phospholipids, betaine lipid, glycolipids and fatty acids significantly differ between the algae and fungi. Unusual betaine lipid-diacylglyceryltrimethylhomoserine- was found in cultured lichen photobionts (green algae) as well as in fresh-isolated photobionts (green and blue-green algae) and mycobionts. Synthesis of significant amounts of glycolipids and phosphatidylglycerol is a characteristic feature of lipid metabolism in algae that distinguishes them from fungi which synthesize only trace amount of these lipids. The great amounts of linolenic acid were detected in phtobionts. Cultured mycobionts accumulate the dominated amounts (about 95% of total fatty aacids) of oleic acid. The differences indicate that lipid metabolism in lichens can be compartmentalized between symbionts.