Fatty acid composition of the cellular slime mold Polysphondylium pallidum

The cellular slime mold Polysphondylium pallidum was grown upon Escherichia coli B/r, and the fatty acid compositions of total lipids obtained from vegetative amebae and aggregation-competent cells were compared. Fatty acids isolated from vegetative cells included C-17 and C-19 cyclopropane fatty acids and also straight-chain, saturated fatty acids. The cyclopropane fatty acids were derived from the ingested bacteria. Development of amebae to aggregation-competent cells was accompanied by a substantial decrease in saturated cyclopropane fatty acids and a concomitant increase in unsaturated fatty acids and unsaturated cyclopropane fatty acids, mostly as 18∶3 (5,9,12). We report here the fatty acid composition and identify the occurrence of Δ5 desaturation of cyclopropane fatty acids, namely, 9,10-methylene 5-hexadecenoic acid and 11,12-methylene 5-octadecenoic acid. These fatty acids have not been reported previously in the related species Dictyostelium discoideum, which also feeds on E. coli B/r and has Δ5-desaturation activity.     

Lipid Profile and Fatty Acid Composition of Moth Bean (Vigna aconitefolia) Seeds

The seeds of moth bean (Vigna aconitefolia) were found to contain 4.5 % of lipid. Fractionation of this lipid by silicic acid column chromatography yielded 44.5 % neutral lipids (NL), 23.4 % glycolipids (GL) and 32.1 % phospholipids (PL). Fatty acid composition of the total lipid and lipid fractions showed that palmitic acid (37.3-54.7 %), stearic acid (7.8-8.0%) oleic acid (6.8-13.9 %) linoleic acid (23.1-35.6 %) and linolenic acid (3.0-10.0%) are the major fatty acids. The phospholipid fraction was found to be different from the rest in containing higher palmitic acid (54.7%) and lower unsaturated fatty acids.     

Neutral Lipid Characterization of Non-Water-Soluble Fractions of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Carica Papaya</Emphasis> Latex

The non-water-soluble fraction of Carica papaya latex (CPL) constitutes a waste material from papain production; very little information exists regarding its chemical composition. The non-water-soluble fraction of CPL was fractionated by liquid chromatography into neutral lipids, glycolipids and phospholipids. The most abundant compounds were found to be the polar lipids, accounting for 79.2% (w/w) of the total extractible matter, while the total amount of neutral lipids was only around 20%. It was composed of free fatty acids, sterols and triterpenic alcohols, but no glycerides were detected. A high content of saturated fatty acids was measured; these saturated fatty acids were represented by very long chains with C24:0, C26:0 and C28:0 accounting for 6.3, 11.0 and 6.3%, respectively, in the total extractible matter and 7.3, 9.0 and 3.9% in the FFA fraction. The monounsaturated fatty acids were about 23–25% in both samples, with oleic acid (C18:1) being the most abundant. The polyunsaturated fatty acids that were 25.1% in the total matter and 21.6% in the FFA fraction were mainly represented by linoleic acid (C18:2n-6). Finally, a very interesting characteristic of the FA composition of this latex concerns the presence of odd-numbered fatty acids in significant amounts (around 22% in the total extract and 24.3% in the FFA fraction).     

Identification of Cyclopropaneoctanoic Acid 2-Hexyl in Human Adipose Tissue and Serum

Fatty acids containing a cyclopropane ring in their structure (cyclopropane FA) have been found in a wide variety of bacteria, a number of protozoa, and Myriapoda. Little is known about cyclopropane FA in mammal, especially in human tissues. The present study deals with the identification of cyclopropane FA in adipose tissue and serum of humans and rats. Fatty acids extracted from the adipose tissue and serum obtained from obese women during bariatric surgery were methylated and analyzed on GC–MS. We have identified: cyclopropaneoctanoic acid 2-hexyl, cyclopropaneoctanoic acid 2-octyl, cyclopropanenonanoic acid, and 2-[[2-[(2-ethylcyclopropyl)methyl]cyclopropyl]methyl] acid in human adipose tissue. We confirmed the presence of cyclopropaneoctanoic acid 2-hexyl by derivatization of FA extracted from human adipose tissue to picolinyl esters. Cyclopropaneoctanoic acid 2-hexyl was the main cyclopropane FA (approximately 0.4 % of total fatty acids in human adipose tissue, and about 0.2 % of total fatty acids in the serum). In adipose tissue cyclopropaneoctanoic acid 2-hexyl was found mainly in triacylglycerols, whereas in serum in phospholipids and triacylglycerols. The cyclopropaneoctanoic acid 2-hexyl has also been found in serum, and adipose tissue of rats in amounts comparable to humans. The content of cyclopropaneoctanoic acid 2-hexyl decreased in adipose tissue of rats maintained on a restricted diet for 1 month. In conclusion, we demonstrated that cyclopropaneoctanoic acid 2-hexyl is present in human adipose tissue and serum. Adipose tissue cyclopropaneoctanoic acid 2-hexyl is stored mainly in triacylglycerols and the storage of this cyclopropane FA is affected by food restriction.     

Fatty Acid Distribution in the Seed Flour of Wild <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vicia</Emphasis> Species from Southern Spain

The fatty acid distribution in the seed flour from 31 Vicia taxa distributed throughout southern Spain was analyzed by gas chromatography. Fatty acids ranged from myristic acid to araquidic acid. Linoleic acid (from 28.7 to 66.3% of the fatty acids), oleic acid (from 7.2 to 32.5% of the fatty acids) and linolenic acid (from 2.7 to 16.6% of the fatty acids) were the most abundant among unsaturated ones and palmitic acid among saturated ones. The total unsaturated to saturated fatty acids ratio ranged between 2.6 in V. hirsuta and 4.2 in V. hybrida. Polyunsaturated to monounsaturated fatty acids ratio ranged between 1.3 in V. ervilia and 9.0 in V. pyrenaica. The ω-6 to ω-3 ratio ranged between 1.7 in V. articulata and 17.3 in V. faba. The fatty acids distribution observed in the Vicia species studied supports the use of these plants as a source of important dietary lipids.     

cis-Vaccenic acid in pulp lipids of commonly available fruits

Fatty acids of commonly available fruit pulps have been analyzed by capillary gas chromatography of their methyl esters and by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry as their dimethyl disulfide adducts. The gas chromatographic and mass spectrometric data proved that these fruits always containedcis-vaccenic (cis-11-octadecenoic) acid as a component fatty acid of their pulp lipids. The concentration ofcis-vaccenic acid in total octadecenoic acids ranged from 1.9% to 95.1% in the fruit pulps examined. The highest concentration of this acid was detected in pulp lipids of Japanese persimmon (Diospyros kaki). In fruit pulp lipids,cis-vaccenic acid was a common octadecenoic acid as well as oleic acid.     

Cyclopropene fatty acids of selected seed oils from bombacaceae,malvaceae, and sterculiaceae

Fatty acid compositions of seed oils from three species of Bombacaceae, eleven from Malvaceae, and six from Sterculiaceae were determined. Each of the seed oils contains varying amounts of both malvalic and sterculic acids accompanied by one or both of the corresponding cyclopropane fatty acids. In addition, the seed oil ofPachira aquatic Aubl. (Bombacaeae) contains 12.8% α-hydroxysterculic acid.     

Tissue culture of cocoa bean (Theobroma cacao L.): changes in lipids during maturation of beans and growth of cells and calli in culture

Callus cultures ofTheobroma cacao L., initiated from explants of immature cocoa bean cotyledons, contained 5.3%–6.4% lipids (dry wt basis). The major fatty acids were palmitic, oleic and linoleic acids. Cell suspensions contained 5.7–7.7% total lipids which had a higher polyunsaturated fatty acid content than total lipids of the calli. Phospholipids and glycolipids were the predominant lipid classes of calli and cell suspensions. Immature cocoa beans at early stages of development contained much higher polyunsaturated fatty acids, higher polar lipids and lower triglycerides than did mature ripe beans. Ripe cocoa beans contained 54% total lipids of which 96.8% where triglycerides. The fatty acid composition of total lipids of calli and cell suspensions were similar to those of the immature cocoa beans.     

Total,polar and neutral lipids ofRhizopus arrhizus fischer

The changes in total lipid content, neutral and polar lipids, total fatty acids, and free fatty acids were investigated over a 4 day period in the zygomycete,Rhizopus arrhizus Fischer. The highest concentration of lipids occurred at the 72 hr period. The degree of unsaturation in the total fatty acid fraction increased during the growth period, whereas the degree of unsaturation decreased in the free fatty acid fraction during the same time period. The ratios of neutral to polar lipids over the 4 day period were: 0.75, 0.22, 1.94 and 0.94. The major components of polar lipids were phosphatidyl ethanolamine, lecithin, lysolecithin, and fatty acids. The fatty acids in the mono- and diglycerides were predominately saturated (67–96%). The fatty acids in the triglycerides shifted from a predominately unaturated (69%, 24 hr) to a more saturated pattern (62%, 96 hr).     

Fatty acid composition of lipid classes in oils from peanuts differing in variety and maturity

Oils from three varieties of mature peanuts and from one variety at seven physiological maturity stages were extracted with petroleum ether and fractionated into lipid classes. The fatty acid composition of the whole oils and fractions were then determined. The fractions from the Starr variety generally contained more 16:0 and 18:2 and less 18:1 than those from the Florunner and Florigiant varieties. Long chain fatty acids (C20–C24) were generally more predominant in thesn-1,3-diacylglycerol fraction than in other fractions, and only traces of long chain acids were found in the sn-1,2(2,3)-di-acylglycerol fraction. An unusual compound associated with thesn- 1,3-diacylglycerol fraction was detected by GLC. Fatty acid compositions of classes in the different maturity stages showed that, generally, the concentration of 18:1 increased and that the concentrations of all other fatty acids decreased with maturity.     

Brain mitochondrial incorporation of elongated fatty acids into phospholipids

The characteristics patterns and asymmetric distribution of phospholipid fatty acids suggest precise control mechanisms. Our investigations were designed to assess mitochondrial fatty acid elongation and their pattern of incorporation into complex lipids. Fatty acid chain elongation in the total lipid fraction occurred primarily with the more abundant fatty acids present. Elongation patterns in free fatty acids were similar to the total lipid fraction except C_20:4 and C_22:4 were formed to slightly greater extent. Choline glycerophosphatide and ethanolamine glycerophosphatide displayed different patterns of elongation. Choline glycerophosphatide contained more elongated longer chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, while ethanolamine glycerophosphatide contained greater amounts of elongated shorter chain saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. These results suggest that fatty acid elongation may play a specific role in fulfilling mitochondrial phospholipid fatty acid requirements.     

Fatty Acid Composition of Winged Bean Seed Oil (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus)

Winged bean seeds (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) were shown to contain 14.4% of oil on a dry weight basis. Fractionation of this oil by silicic acid column chromatography showed 72.7% neutral lipids, 2.8% of glycolipids and 24.5% of phospholipids. Fatty acid composition of total lipid, neutral and glycolipid showed palmitic acid (12.2-14.0%), stearic acid (3.5-4.3%), oleic acid (36-39%) and linoleic acid (39-42%) as major fatty acids. The phospholipid fraction was slightly different from the rest in containing higher palmitic and lower oleic and linoleic acids.     

Fatty acid relationship in an aquatic food chain

The relationships amongst the fatty acids of the lipids from members of a model aquatic food chain were examined. The basic pattern of the fatty acids in the members, algae-brine shrimp-hydra, originated in the phytoplankton. Fatty acids in the neutral lipids of adult brine shrimp,Artemia salina, closely resembled dietary, or algal, fatty acids, whereas the phospholipid acids differed considerably from those in the algae. Fatty acids from the total lipids ofHydra pseudoligactis fed brine shimp nauplii also resembled the dietary acids, but more C₂₀ polyunsaturates and fewer C₁₈ unsaturated acids were present in those raised at 10C than were found at 20C.     

Free,esterified and glucosidic sterols in cocoa butter

Sterol lipids of cocoa butter (cocoa beansLome Tongo) were fractionated into free sterols, steryl esters (SE), steryl glucosides and acylated steryl glucosides (ASG). 4-Desmethyl, 4-methyl and 4,4′-dimethyl sterols or triterpene alcohols, which were isolated as free sterols or which resulted from hydrolysis, were determined by thin layer chromatography-flame ionization detection and identified by gas chromatography and combined gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. Free sterols comprise the main sterol fraction in cocoa butter. Esterified sterols amount to 11.5% of total sterols and glucosidic sterols to 16.3%. Fatty acids and D-glucose from hydrolysis of esters and glucosides were analyzed. The fatty acids of SE and ASG are richer in unsaturated fatty acids than cocoa butter total fatty acids.     

Fatty acid and conjugated linoleic acid isomer profiles in human milk fat

The fatty acid composition of 39 mature human milk samples from four Spanish women collected between 2 and 18 weeks during lactation was studied by gas chromatography. The conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) isomer profile was also determined by silver‐ion HPLC (Ag⁺‐HPLC) with three columns in series. The major fatty acid fraction in milk lipids throughout lactation was represented by the monounsaturated fatty acids, with oleic acid being the predominant compound (36–49% of total fatty acids). The saturated fatty acid fraction represented more than 35% of the total fatty acids, and polyunsaturated fatty acids ranged on average between 10 and 13%. Mean values of total CLA varied from 0.12 to 0.15% of total fatty acids. The complex mixture of CLA isomers was separated by Ag⁺‐HPLC. Rumenic acid (RA, cis‐9 trans‐11 C18:2) was the major isomer, representing more than 60% of total CLA. Trans‐9 trans‐11 and 7‐9 (cis‐trans + trans‐cis) C18:2 were the main CLA isomers after RA. Very small amounts of 8‐10 and 10‐12 C18:2 (cis‐trans + trans‐cis) isomers were detected, as were different proportions of cis‐11 trans‐13 and trans‐11 cis‐13 C18:2. Although most of the isomers were present in all samples, their concentrations varied considerably.     

The lipids of corn germ and endosperm

Mature kernels of an inbred corn were hand dissected into germ and endosperm fractions. Among various solvents tested, boiling, water-saturatedn-butanol extracted the most lipid from endosperm, and it was used as t h e extracting solvent for both germ and endosperm. The germ contained 78% of the total lipids and the endosperm 17%. The most striking differences in the fatty acid compositions of the triglycerides and polar lipids were higher levels of stearic and linolenic acids in the endosperm lipids. Although precautions were taken during extraction to inactivate lipases, immediately after harvest the free fatty acid level of the total lipids of the whole kernel was 6.5%. Ninety-five percent of the free fatty acids was in the endosperm fraction where the free fatty acids made up 36.5% of the total lipids. In germ, free fatty acids represented only 0.6% of the total lipids. The individual phospholipid and glycolipid classes of the endosperm and germ lipids were similar except for high levels of lyso compounds in the endosperm lipids. The higher levels of linolenic acid, free fatty acids and lyso lipids in endosperm may affect the keeping quality of the corn grain and of fractions milled from the endosperm. Presented at the AOCS meeting, St. Louis, May 1978.     

Lipid and fatty acid compositions of a novel docosahexaenoic acid-producing marine bacterium

An unidentified bacterial strain, SCRC-21406, isolated from the intestine of a marine fish, Glossanodon semifasciatus, produced docosahexaenoic acid at 23% (mol/mol) [=28% (w/w)] of total fatty acids in a medium containing 0.5% (wt/vol) peptone and 0.1% (wt/vol) yeast extract at 12°C under atmospheric pressure. The cell yield was 0.43 g/L. The major lipids of the strain were phosphatidylethanolamine and phophatidylglycerol. Docosahexaenoic acid was localized at the sn-2 positions of both phospholipids. The amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids other than docosahexaenoic acid were extremely small [<3% (mol/mol)]. Monousaturated fatty acids of the cis-7, cis-9 and cis-11 types were detected.     

Changes in flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) seed lipids during germination

Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) seeds were germinated for 8 d under laboratory conditions, and changes in their lipid fraction were studied by various chemical and chromatographic methods. Total lipid content of the seeds was reduced fourfold at the end of the 8-d germination period as compared to ungerminated seeds on a fresh weight basis. The neutral lipids comprised the major fraction of seed lipids, and triacylglycerols predominated over all other lipid components even during the germination period. Both the spectrophotometric and thin-layer chromatography-flame-ionization detection methods of quantification showed a considerable increase in the content of free fatty acids. The glycolipid fraction of lipids increased, but the phospholipid fraction exhibited only minor changes. Lipase activity of flaxseed increased at the beginning of germination and then remained constant until the fifth day. Phosphatidylcholine was the major phospholipid of flaxseed lipids, and its content was reduced during the germination. The contents of lysophosphatidylcholine and phosphatidic acid increased from negligible amounts to 46% of the total phospholipids. Linolenic, linoleic, and oleic acids, respectively, were the predominant fatty acids of all the lipid fractions of flaxseed, and remained unchanged during the germination period. The glycolipid fraction had the lowest content of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Fatty acids C_14:0, C_20:0, C_24:0, C_20:1, C_22:1, and C_20:5 appeared after d 2 of germination in neutral, glyco- and phospholipid fractions.     

Specific modifications of phosphatidylinositol and nonesterified fatty acid fractions in cultured porcine cardiomyocytes supplemented with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids

Mechanisms for the antiarrhythmic effect of n−3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are currently being investigated using isolated cardiac myocytes. It is still not known whether the incorporation of n−3 PUFA into membrane phospholipids is a prerequisite for its protective action or if n−3 PUFA exert antiarrhythmic effects in their nonesterified form as demonstrated by recent studies. Adult porcine cardiomyocytes were grown in media supplemented with arachidonic acid (AA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). After 24 h, analysis of total lipids showed that the myocytes were enriched with the respective fatty acids compared to control cells. Large proportions of all three fatty acids supplemented (69% AA, 72% DHA, and 66% EPA) remained unesterified. Fatty acid analysis of total phospholipids (PL) revealed that the incorporation of EPA and DHA, though small, was significantly different (P<0.05) from that of the control cells. The PL fraction was further separated into phosphatidylinositol (Pl), phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, and phosphatidylserine to study the pattern of incorporation of the fatty acids in these fractions. It became apparent that EPA and DHA were selectively incorporated into the Pl fraction. This study demonstrates that in adult porcine cardiomyocytes, the n−3 PUFA supplementation selectively modulates two important lipid fractions, nonesterified fatty acid and Pl, which were implicated in the mechanisms of prevention of cardiac arrhythmias.     

Cyclopropane fatty acid metabolism: Physical and chemical identification of propane ring metabolic products in the adipose tissue

Twelve male weanling rats were distributed equally into 3 groups and placed on fat-free diets. The diets of groups 1 and 2 were supplemented with 0.54% of recemic methylcis-9,10-methylene octadecanoate (CMO) and racemic methyltrans-9,10-methylene octadecanoate (TMO), respectively. Group 3 served as a control. Gas liquid chromatography (GLC) analyses of the adipose tissue methyl esters indicated at the level fed, that cyclopropane fatty acids do not affect normal fatty acid metabolism as has been shown for cyclopropene fatty acids. GLC analyses of groups 1 and 2 revealed the presence of a different unidentified fatty acid for each of the acids fed in addition to the CMO and TMO acids themselves. Each of the unidentified acids and the CMO and TMO acids were isolated and purified by preparative GLC. The absolute identity of the CMO and TMO acids fed and isolated from body fat was established by IR, NMR, and mass spectra. The biodegradation products of the CMO and TMO esters were shown to becis- andtrans-3,4-methylene dodecanoic acid, respectively. Unequivocal proof of structure was established through synthesis followed by comparison of IR, NMR, and mass spectra and melting points, GLC retention times, and elemental analyses with those obtained for the degradation products. Neither member of the racemic mixtures of either thecis or thetrans cyclopropane acids was preferentially utilized by the rat as shown by the lack of octical activity in the degradation products and the CMO and TMO acids isolated from the body fat. The accumulations of the 3,4-methylene dodecanoic acids in the adipose tissue of the rats fed CMO and TMO cyclopropane fatty acids suggest the inability of the beta oxidation enzyme system to proceed past the cyclopropane ring in a fatty acid chain. The synthesis ofcis- andtrans-3-dodecenoic acids, intermediates in the synthesis of the 3,4-methylene dodecanoic acids, and the geometrical cyclopropane isomers are discussed. This work to be submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for Ph.D.