The steryl ester and phospholipid fatty acids of the spongeAgelas conifera from the Colombian Caribbean

The steryl ester and phospholipid fractions of the marine spongeAgelas conifera were isolated and analyzed. The fatty acyl components of the steryl ester and phospholipid fractions as determined by gas chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry were very similar and consisted of 56.8 and 62.7% of C₁₄−C₂₀ acids (normal; branched, especiallyiso andanteiso; and monounsaturated, particularly Δ⁹ and Δ¹¹ acids) and of 43.1 and 35.5% of C₂₄−C₂₆ acids (Δ^5,9 diunsaturated acids), respectively. The major constituent fatty acids detected were 13-methyltetradecanoic,n-hexadecanoic, 10-methylhexadecanoic, 11-octadecenoic, 12-methyloctadecanoic, 5,9-pentacosadienoic and 5,9-hexacosadienoic acids. The phospholipids isolated were identified as phosphatidylcholine (37%), phosphatidylserine (34%), phosphatidylethanolamine (16%) and phosphatidylinositol (11%). The distribution of fatty acids within the phospholipid classes was also determined.