[Adaptation of Flammulina velutipes to hypothermia in natural environment: the role of lipids and carbohydrates].

The role of lipids and carbohydrates in the adaptation of Flammulina velutipes to hyperthermia (5 to -5 degrees C) in natural environments has been studied for the first time. The main changes are were found to occur in membrane lipids: the levels of sterols and glycolipids decreased, and the proportion of phospholipids with a high degree of nonsaturation (2.2) increased, which was due to predominance of two fatty acids, linoleic (35% of the total) and linolenic (50%). Phosphatidylcholine became the major phospholipid. Under hypothermic conditions, glycerol, known to have antifreeze properties, accumulated in the cell cytosol along with arabitol and trehalose. The significance of this biochemical strategy in the resistance of the fungus to temperatures below zero (i.e., to cryobiotic conditions) is discussed.