Characterization of Carotene Accumulation in Species of the Fungal Genus Ustilago Using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography

Carotene extracts from seven species of Ustilago were quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography. The extracts from U. utriculosa and U. heterogena contained only phytoene and β-carotene. Extracts from U. scabiosae, U. sphaerogena, U. nigra, and U. bullata contained traces of one or more of ζ-carotene, neurosporene, or γ-carotene, in addition to phytoene and β-carotene. The extract from U. hordei contained phytoene, cis-β-zeacarotene, and β-carotene as well as traces of ζ-carotene, neurosporene, and γ-carotene.