Tributyltin chloride interactions with fatty acids composition and degradation ability of the filamentous fungus Cunninghamella elegans

Toxic organotin compounds are widely present in the environment. Tributyltin chloride (TBT), an organotin, is degraded by a filamentous fungus Cunninghamella elegans. The major fatty acids of this fungus were: palmitate (16:0), stearate (18:0), oleate (18:1n9), linoleate (18:2n6) and γ-linolenate (18:3n6). We show that the fatty acid unsaturation index was decreased and the conversion of stearic acid (18:0) in oleic acid (18:1n9) was significantly inhibited in the presence of TBT. Changes in fatty acid compositions during TBT degradation at 10 mg l−1 in C. elegans revealed that the degree of saturation was correlated with biotransformation of the xenobiotic to less toxic compounds: dibutyltin and monobutyltin. Our results suggest that the high TBT resistance in C. elegans is associated with the modulation of the fatty acids composition and the biocide degradation.