RESUMO
The chemical composition of fatty acids and ubiquinones was studied in 18 strains of Cunninghamella, to establish quantitative and qualitative differences within the genus. Fatty acids analysis has shown the presence of four groups. Ubiquinone analysis, through high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), demonstrated the existence of three different groups based on the ubiquinone type. The average percentage of fatty acids of the species Cunninghamella elegans and Cunninghamella bertholletiae, show variations in linolenic and stearic acids, suggesting the possibility of differentiation between the two species.
RESUMO
The ubiquinone (coenzyme Q) systems of 14 species of Cladosporium were determined. The genus was divided into two groups based on the distribution of the major ubiquinones, Q-10 and Q-10(H2). The group containing Q-10 consisted of six species, four of which were human pathogens, whereas the group containing Q-10(H2) consisted of eight plant pathogenic and/or saprophytic species. The results presented here agree with phylogenetic and physiological studies which have shown that the human-pathogenic species of Cladosporium represent a homogeneous, cohesive group.
