Control of Fatty Acid and Lipid Biosynthesis in Euglena gracilis by Ammonia, Light and DCMU

When Euglena gracilis was grown under white (fluorescent) light in media containing high concentrations of ammonium chloride (more than 0.005%), the main lipids synthesized were monogalactosyl diglyceride, digalactosyl diglyceride, phosphatidyl glycerol, sulfolipid and the all cis △7,10-16:2, △7,10,13-16:3, △4,7,10,13-16:4, △9,12-18:2 and △9,12,15-18:3 fatty acids. At low levels of ammonium (less than 0.002%) these compounds were produced only in small amounts, while neutral lipids, phosphatidyl choline, phosphatidyl ethanolamine and the 14:0, 16:0 and 16:1 fatty acids predominated. When Euglena gracilis was grown in white light in the presence of dichlorophenyldimethylurea (DCMU) or in the dark, fatty acid and lipid biosyntheses followed the same pattern as in white light at low levels of ammonium. Similar results were obtained when nitrate served as the only nitrogen source in the light and in the dark. The results indicate that in Euglena gracilis there are a light independent and a light and ammonium dependent pathway of fatty acid biosynthesis. Both pathways seem to be in association with specific lipids.