Biochemical Investigations on the Lipase Formation of Sclerotinia Fungus and on the Specificity of Lipase Action of Some Fungal Origins

Abstract

1. In biochemical investigations on the lipaseformation of Sclerotinia fungus, the following facts were observed. i, The original strain Ss had an activity of oxidative fermentation while its mutant Sm had not such activity; the activity of the former seemed responsible for its. high activity of lipase formation in a laterperiod of culture. ii, During the lipase formation by washed mycelium of Ss at the expense of reserved fat maintaining its carbohydrate content at a constant level in the cell, the production of alcohol and oxalic acid were recognized and the RQ value exceeded 1.0. iii, Though bile salt and cyanide were inhibitory for the endogeneous respiration they were stimulatory for the fermentation of cellular carbohydrate and the lipase activity of washed mycelium was increased to some extent. iv, The extract of bran culture of Ss itself, remarkably promoted the lipase activity of washed mycelium along with increase of RQ value and had no influence on oxygen consumption. v, The washed mycelium of Ss harvested at a later period of culture was found to decompose oxalic acid into CO₂ and formic acid.
2. The lipase type of the following fungi was proved to be dividable into two groups; One is that of Scletotinia which can react additively on olive oil with either Rhizopus or pancreatic lipase which also has a high activity, on substrates other than glyceride such as Tween ann Span, and the other is that of Rhizopus which can not react additively with pancreatic lipase.
3. The fungal lipase was shown to have considerable activity in organic solvents such as ether or petroether.