Formation of a C22 dihydroxyketo acid by a yeast

Saponification of extracellular lipids from the yeast NRRL YB-2501 yielded 8,9,13-trihydroxydocosanoic acid and a new keto dihydroxy acid of melting point 131–132 °C. The keto acid was shown to be 8,9-dihydroxy-13-oxodocosanoic acid by conversion to 5-ketotetradecanoic acid and suberic acid. By means of the method of Ames and Bowman (3), it was established that the vicinal hydroxyls of the new acid have the erythro configuration.