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A comparative study of stearic and lignoceric acid oxidation by human skin fibroblasts.

Sensitive assays were developed for long chain and very long chain fatty acid oxidation in human skin fibroblast homogenates. Stearic and lignoceric acids were degraded by the fibroblasts by the beta-oxidation pathway. The cofactor requirements for stearic and lignoceric acid beta-oxidation were very similar but not identical. For example, appreciable lignoceric acid oxidation could be demonstrated only in the presence of alpha-cyclodextrin and was inhibited by Triton X-100. In Zellweger's syndrome, stearic acid beta-oxidation was partially reduced whereas lignoceric acid beta-oxidation was reduced dramatically (less than 12% activity compared to the controls). The results presented suggest that stearic acid beta-oxidation occurs in mitochondria as well as in peroxisomes, but lignoceric acid oxidation occurs entirely in the peroxisomes. We suggest that the beta-oxidation systems for stearic acid and lignoceric acid may be different.

Autoradiography↗

Lipid peroxidation increases the molecular order of microsomal membranes.

The effect of enzymatic lipid peroxidation on the molecular order of microsomal membranes was evaluated by ESR spectroscopy using the spin probes 5-, 12-, and 16-doxyl-stearic acid. Rat liver microsomal membranes were peroxidized by the NADPH-dependent reaction in the presence of the chelate ADP-Fe3+. Peroxidation resulted in a preferential depletion of polyenoic fatty acids and an increase in the percentage composition of shorter fatty acyl chains. There was no change in the cholesterol/phospholipid ratio of the peroxidized microsomes. The molecular order of both control and peroxidized membranes decreased toward the central region of the bilayer, and the order parameter (S) of each probe was temperature dependent. Peroxidation of the microsomal membrane lipids resulted in an increase in the order parameter determined with the three stearic acid spin probes. Of the three probes, 12-doxylstearic acid was the most sensitive to the changes in membrane organization caused by peroxidation. These data indicate that ESR spectroscopy is a sensitive method of detecting changes in membrane order accompanying peroxidation of membrane lipids.

Animals↗

Development of the gastrointestinal mucosal barrier V. Comparative effect of calcium binding on microvillus membrane structure in newborn and adult rats.

Electron spin resonance (ESR) and the spin label method, with 5-doxyl stearic acid as a probe, were used to investigate the structure of microvillus membrane (MVM) from small intestine of adult and newborn rats. It was shown that the spin label in MVM of newborn was maintained in a more disordered environment than the spin label in adult animals. Calcium ion was used as an external stimulus to study the structural response and organization of these two membrane preparations. Ca++ enhanced the order of 5-doxyl stearic acid labeled MVM from mature and immature rats in a concentration-dependent saturable process, but Ca++ exerted a greater ordering effect on MVM from immature than MVM from the mature rat. Ca++ binding to MVM was also a concentration-dependent, saturable process. MVM from immature rat bound significantly more Ca++ in CaCl2 concentration ranges from 12.5 micron to 4mM. Scatchard analysis of the binding data showed two classes of binding sites with a high affinity constant of 3.1 X 10(4) M-1 and a low affinity constant of 9.1 X 10(3) M-1, with corresponding maximum binding capacities for each class site of 129.8 nmole of calcium/mg protein and 252.7 nmole calcium/mg of protein in newborn and 13-day-old MVM. Only one high affinity constant of 2.6 X 10(4)M-1 with a corresponding maximum binding capacity of 106.4 nmole/mg of protein was observed in adult MVM. Proteolytic hydrolysis of the membranes by trypsin produced an increase in Ca++ binding in adult MVM and a decrease in Ca++ binding in newborn MVM. Neuraminidase and phospholipase C reduced the amount of bound Ca++ in both adult and newborn MVM. These results indicate a more disordered structure of newborn MVM and a differential effect of Ca++ on MVM during development.

Animals↗

Binding of dipyridamole to phospholipid vesicles: a fluorescence study.

Binding and localization of the vasodilator and antitumor drug coactivator dipyridamole (DIP) and one of its derivatives, RA25, to phospholipid vesicles of DMPC (dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine) and DPPC (dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine) was studied using fluorescence spectroscopy as well as quenching of fluorescence. The analysis of fluorescence data indicates that neutral dipyridamole binds to the phospholipids in their liquid crystalline phase with an association constant of 950 M(-1) and 1150 M(-1) to DMPC and DPPC, respectively. Protonation of DIP leads to a 3-fold reduction of the association constant. For the gel phospholipid phase, the binding is smaller (a factor of 2), independently of pH, suggesting that the more flexible lipid packing in the liquid crystalline phase facilitates the binding of the drug. The association constant of RA25 neutral form is considerably lower than for DIP, being around 295 M(-1). Fluorescence quenching with nitroxides TEMPO and stearic acid doxyl derivatives suggests the localization of DIP to be closer to the 5th carbon of alkyl chain. The quenching effect of 5-DSA below the lipid phase transition suggests that a strong static quenching may be operative. The quenching effect of 16-DSA is almost as great as that for 5-DSA below the phase transition, being even higher above the phase transition. This effect is probably due to the trans-gauche isomerization of the stearic acid nitroxide, making the encounter of its paramagnetic fragment with the DIP chromophore possible. Our data are consistent with DIP location close to the bilayer surface in the border of hydrophobic-polar heads interface which is similar to the data in micellar systems. In the case of RA25, the drug is in the outer part of the head group interface being much exposed to the aqueous phase and being significantly less accessible to the membrane nitroxide quenchers.

1,2-Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine↗

Influence of C18 long chain fatty acids on hydrogen metabolism.

During anaerobic treatment, several microorganisms mediate a series of reactions to convert reduced compounds (electron donors) into methane. Inhibitors such as long chain fatty acids (LCFAs) can affect several anaerobic microbial populations and decrease the treatment efficiency. The effects of three C18 LCFAs on hydrogenotrophic methanogens in a flocculated mixed anaerobic culture were assessed in this study. The reaction half-life and the hydrogen versus time profiles were used to characterize the inhibition process. The half-life values and profiles were similar for controls and cultures exposed to LCFAs for 1 h. The hydrogen inhibition was a function of the exposure time and the LCFA concentration except for cultures exposed to stearic acid (SA). A statistical analysis of the reaction half-life for cultures incubated with 1,500 and 2,000 mg L(-1) LCFAs for 48 h, revealed the following inhibition trend: linoleic acid (LA) > oleic acid (OA) > SA. After 48 h of exposure, no clear inhibition trend was observed for cultures inoculated with LCFA mixtures; however, at levels of 1,500 and 2,000 mg L(-1), the reaction half-life values were less than that observed for cultures fed with only LA. Based on the reaction half-life data, all of the LCFAs except SA at threshold levels of approximately 1,500 mg L(-1) inhibited hydrogen metabolism. The greatest inhibition and, hence, the largest amount of accumulated hydrogen was observed in cultures fed with 2,000 mg L(-1) LA and incubated for 48 h.

Anaerobiosis↗

Polyunsaturated docosahexaenoic vs docosapentaenoic acid-differences in lipid matrix properties from the loss of one double bond.

Insufficient supply to the developing brain of docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n3, DHA), or its omega-3 fatty acid precursors, results in replacement of DHA with docosapentaenoic acid (22:5n6, DPA), an omega-6 fatty acid that is lacking a double bond near the chain's methyl end. We investigated membranes of 1-stearoyl(d(35))-2-docosahexaenoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine and 1-stearoyl(d(35))-2-docosapentaenoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine by solid-state NMR, X-ray diffraction, and molecular dynamics simulations to determine if the loss of this double bond alters membrane physical properties. The low order parameters of polyunsaturated chains and the NMR relaxation data indicate that both DHA and DPA undergo rapid conformational transitions with correlation times of the order of nanoseconds at carbon atom C(2) and of picoseconds near the terminal methyl group. However, there are important differences between DHA- and DPA-containing lipids: the DHA chain with one additional double bond is more flexible at the methyl end and isomerizes with shorter correlation times. Furthermore, the stearic acid paired with the DHA in mixed-chain lipids has lower order, in particular in the middle of the chain near carbons C(10)(-)(12), indicating differences in the packing of hydrocarbon chains. Such differences are also reflected in the electron density profiles of the bilayers and in the simulation results. The DHA chain has a higher density near the lipid-water interface, whereas the density of the stearic acid chain is higher in the bilayer center. The loss of a single double bond from DHA to DPA results in a more even distribution of chain densities along the bilayer normal. We propose that the function of integral membrane proteins such as rhodopsin is sensitive to such a redistribution.

Computer Simulation↗

Dietary and ruminally derived trans-18:1 fatty acids alter bovine milk lipids.

The objectives of this study were to determine whether dietary fish oil enhances production of trans-18:1 isomers in the bovine rumen and whether flow of ruminally derived and/or dietary trans-18:1 to the small intestine is correlated with milk fat production. Four lactating Holstein cows with cannulas in the rumen and proximal duodenum were fed diets with 0% supplemental fat (control diet), 3% hydrogenated tallow fatty acids (HTFA diet), 1.5% menhaden oil plus 1.5% stearic acid (MO+SA diet), or 1.5% soybean oil plus 1.5% partially hydrogenated soybean oil (SBO+HSBO diet) in a 4 x 4 Latin square design. Intakes of trans-18:1 were 0, 12, 0 and 69 g/d when cows were fed the control, HTFA, MO+SA and SBO+HSBO diets, respectively. However, the extent of 18:1 + 18:2(n-6) + 18: 3(n-3) biohydrogenation in the rumen was reduced by consumption of the MO+SA and SBO+HSBO diets. As a result, flow of trans-18:1 to the duodenum was 163 g/d for MO+SA-fed cows and 152 g/d for SBO+HSBO-fed cows compared with 38 g/d for cows fed the HTFA and control diets. Incomplete biohydrogenation accounted for all of the trans-18:1 flow when the MO+SA diet was fed. Compared with results when the HTFA and control diets were fed, milk fat percentage was lower and concentration of trans-18:1 in milk fat was higher when the MO+SA and SBO+HSBO diets were fed. Across all treatments, milk fat percentage decreased linearly with the amount of trans-18:1 flowing to the duodenum and the concentration of trans-18:1 in milk fat. Results indicate that bovine milk fat percentage is depressed by trans-18:1, whether derived from the diet or from incomplete biohydrogenation of unsaturated fatty acids.

Animals↗

Perturbation effect of the diheptanoyl phosphatidylcholine on rat brain total lipid liposomes. An electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy study.

Diheptanoyl phosphatidylcholine (DHPC) was reported to reduce inward sodium current in squid giant axons (Hendry et al., Biophys. J., 47, (1985) 841) and to decrease the frequency of the nicotinic acetylcholine-activated ion channel (Braun and Haydon, Pfügers Arch., 62, (1991) 418). To understand the DHPC effects, an influence of DHPC to increase dynamics/disorder (perturbation effect) in liposomes prepared from rat brain total lipids was studied at the 5th, 12th and 16th carbon membrane depths using the method of EPR spectroscopy of the spin labelled stearic acids and 1-palmitoyl-2-stearoyl phosphatidylcholines. The perturbation efficiency of DHPC in the liposomes was quantitated with the initial slope value of the order parameter S or inner splitting Amin versus DHPC concentration. DHPC at the DHPC/total lipid molar ratio of 1:10, 1:5, 1:3 and 1:2 increased dynamics/disorder of the liposomes. When the perturbation effect, compared at temperature scale, was normalized to 1 at the 5th carbon depth, the relative perturbation effect of DHPC was 1, 4.2, and 6.9 at the 5th, 12th and the 16th carbon depth, respectively, as detected by spin labelled stearic acids. Using the spin labelled lipids the perturbation effect was 1, 1.9 and 2.3, respectively. The differences of the perturbation effect of DHPC at different membrane depths correspond to the published perturbation effect of the local anesthetics lidocaine, tetracaine, dibucaine, heptacaine, IR-9 and carbisocaine on total lipid liposomes. The comparable perturbation properties of DHPC and of the local anesthetics support the hypothesis that the membrane perturbation caused by DHPC may play an important role in its effect on membrane function.

Animals↗

Efficacy of sustained-release radioprotective drugs in vivo.

In previous publications from this laboratory we suggested the use of radioprotective drugs in a sustained-release form as a practical way to cope with their high toxicity and quick metabolism and excretion. Cysteine and cysteamine, well-established radioprotectants, were used as model drugs and compressed at various concentrations (0-65%) into an insoluble tablet matrix, composed of ethylcellulose and stearic acid at various ratios and compression pressures. We demonstrated in vitro that when the release rate of the radioprotectants was measured under nitrogen, the kinetic data conformed with the Higuchi square root of time equation, indicating that the release of both drugs correlates with Higuchi's diffusional mechanism. In the present in vivo study, tablets containing cysteine or cysteamine in a slow-release matrix were implanted, into the stomachs of female rats. The rats were irradiated at various time intervals up to 12 h after implantation and their survival recorded daily. Utilizing a 1:3 ratio of ethylcellulose:stearic acid as a matrix, the protective effect of the drugs was remarkable eight hours after tablet implantation. The results reported indicate that slow-release tablet formulation is a possible method for delivering of radioprotective drugs over an extended period of time.

Animals↗

Hydrophobic membrane interaction of etidocaine, bupivacaine and 2-chloroprocaine. A spin and fluorescent probe study.

It has been suggested that local anesthetics may block sodium conductance through nervous membranes also by hydrophobic interaction, e.g., by expanding the membrane. Decreased anisotropy (fluidization) and depressed phase transition temperatures have been shown by relatively high local anesthetic concentrations. We studied the dose dependence of the effect of three clinically used local anesthetics, with different lipid solubility, on lipid fluidity parameters of four different model membranes. With stearic acid spin labels in dipalmitoyl lecithin vesicles etidocaine (1-5 mM) had the clearest fluidizing effect followed by bupivacaine (5 mM); 2-chloroprocaine was without effect on lipid fluidity. In synaptic plasma membranes a fluidizing effect near the hydrophilic part of the lipid bilayer was similar with etidocaine and bupivacaine (5-10 mM); 2-chloroprocaine had no effect. Bupivacaine at 125 and 250 muM had a small ordering effect, which was not seen at a more hydrophobic site of the membrane. Etidocaine had the strongest fluidizing effect at the latter site of the synaptic plasma membranes. In erythrocyte ghost membranes, probed by stearic acid spin labels near the hydrophilic end, none of local anesthetics affected fluidity at 24 degrees C, while at 37 degrees C etidocaine (1-5 mM) and bupivacaine (5 mM) had a fluidizing effect. Dimyristoyl lecithin vesicles were probed by cis- and trans-parinaric acid. Etidocaine and bupivacaine (5-10 mM) clearly depressed the phase transition temperature evaluated from fluorescence intensity scans. The effect was most marked with bupivacaine (1-10 mM) when cis-parinaric acid was used. While isolated mammalian nerves are blocked by local anesthetic concentrations below 100 muM, this study shows that the clinically used local anesthetics increase fluidity and depress phase transition temperature only at 10-100 times higher concentrations at physiological pH. This kind of hydrophobic membrane interaction may not be important for the nerve blocking effect.

Anesthetics, Local↗

Interactions of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor transmembrane segments with the lipid bilayer in native receptor-rich membranes.

Proper ion channel function of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) requires the interaction of the protein with distinct lipid species present in the receptor's membrane microenvironment. Two classes of lipid binding sites present at the protein-membrane interface have been postulated: annular binding sites primarily occupied by phospholipids and non-annular binding sites mainly occupied by cholesterol [Jones & McNamee (1988) Biochemistry 27, 2364-2374]. We investigated the binding of these lipids to the nAChR and potential dynamics of these interactions during events associated with signal transduction by electron spin resonance spectroscopy (ESR) using spin-labeled analogues of phospholipids, androstane, and stearic acid. Protein-lipid interactions were characterized in receptor-rich membranes prepared from Torpedo californica electric tissue preserving the native lipid environment of the nAChR. We found a strong preference of the receptor for the phosphatidylserine (PS) analogue as compared to the other probes. Up to 57% of PS were perturbed by the membrane protein, while the fraction of motionally restricted lipid for the other analogues was on the order of 30%. After removal of the extramembrane portions of the membrane-bound receptor, we observed a loss of binding sites for the spin-labeled analogue of androstane and for stearic acid, but not for phospholipids and sphingomyelin analogues. Our results demonstrate the existence of topologically distinct lipid binding sites for different lipid species. In the case of cholesterol, extramembrane portions of the receptor are involved, whereas the transmembrane segments meet the requirements for the binding of phospholipids. Tyrosine phosphorylation of the nAChR did not affect protein-lipid interactions in samples of intact nAChR. Similarly, no significant changes were observed in the presence of carbamoylcholine at concentrations that caused rapid and quantitative desensitization of the nAChR.

Animals↗

Preparation in high-shear mixer of sustained-release pellets by melt pelletisation.

The preparation of sustained-release pellets by melt pelletisation was investigated in a 10-l high shear mixer and ternary mixtures containing stearic acid as a melting binder, anhydrous lactose as a filler and theophylline as a model drug. A translated Doehlert matrix was applied for the optimisation of process variables and quality control of pellets characteristics. After determination of size distribution, the pellets were characterised with scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and porosimetric analysis. Finally, the in vitro release from every single size fraction was evaluated and the release mechanism was analysed. Since the drug release rate decreased when enhancing the pellet size fraction, the 2000-microm fraction, exhibiting a substantially zero-order release, was selected for further in vivo biovailability studies. These data demonstrated that pellets based on the combination of stearic acid and lactose can be used to formulate sustained release pellets for theophylline.

Adult↗

Rubber particles from four different species, examined by transmission electron microscopy and electron-paramagnetic-resonance spin labeling, are found to consist of a homogeneous rubber core enclosed by a contiguous, monolayer biomembrane

The physical characteristics of rubber particles from the four rubber (cis-1,4-polyisoprene) producing species Euphorbia lactiflua Phil., Ficus elastica Roxb., Hevea brasiliensis Mull. Arg., and Parthenium argentatum Gray, were investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron-paramagnetic-resonance (EPR) spin labeling spectroscopy. Transmission electron microscopy showed the rubber particles to be composed of a spherical, homogeneous, core of rubber enclosed by a contiguous, electron-dense, single-track surface layer. The biochemical composition of the surface layer and its single-track TEM suggested that a monolayer biomembrane was the surface structure most compatible with the hydrophobic rubber core. The EPR spectra for a series of positional isomers of doxyl stearic acid, used to label the surface layer of the rubber particles, exhibited flexibility gradients and evidence for lipid-protein interactions for all four rubber particle types that is consistent with a biomembrane-like surface. The EPR spectra confirmed that the surface biomembrane is a monolayer. Thus, rubber particles appear similar to oil bodies in their basic architecture. The EPR spectra also provided information on protein location and degree of biomembrane penetration that correlated with the known properties of the rubber-particle-bound proteins. The monolayer biomembrane serves as an interface between the hydrophobic rubber interior and the aqueous cytosol and prevents aggregation of the particles. An unexpected observation for the probes in pure polyisoprene was evidence of an intrinsic flexibility gradient associated with the stearic acid molecule itself.

Journal Article↗

An electron-spin-resonance spin-label study of the interaction of purified Mojave toxin with synaptosomal membranes from rat brain.

The structural properties of isolated purified rat brain synaptosomal membranes, both in the presence and absence of purified active toxin of the Mojave snake Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus, were studied by spin-label electron spin resonance techniques. The spectra from eight different positional isomers of nitroxide-labelled stearic acids, a rigid steroid androstanol, and a spin-labelled phosphatidylcholine intercalated into the synaptosomal membranes, were obtained as a function of temperature from 4-40 degrees C. The flexibility gradient (from spin-label order parameters) and polarity profile (from isotropic splitting factors) across the synaptosomal membranes, was characteristic for lipid bilayers. The nitroxide spin-labelled steroid, androstanol, intercalated into the synaptosomal membrane, revealed the abrupt onset of rapid cooperative rotation about the long axis of the molecule at 12 degrees C showing that the lipid molecules are rotating rapidly around their long axes at physiological temperatures. The presence of the Mojave toxin affected the synaptosomal membrane in a complex manner, depending upon the temperature and the position of the nitroxide label on the alkyl chain of the stearic acid probe. Mojave toxin exerted little effect on the flexibility gradient of the synaptosomal membrane at 20 degrees C, a temperature at which the acyl chain labels detected a structural change in the membranes. At temperatures lower than 20 degrees C, the Mojave toxin produced a change in the flexibility gradient of the synaptosomal membrane which indicated an increased disordering in the upper region of the membrane and a concomitant increased ordering of the acyl chains in the deeper regions of the membrane. At temperatures higher than 20 degrees C, the order profile of the synaptosomal membrane was shifted by the presence of the Mojave toxin in a manner which indicated that the outer parts of the membrane were more rigid and the inner regions more fluid, than in controls. A cross-over point for the perturbation occurred at C8-9, which is about 12-14 A into the membrane. This is the approximate depth of the hydrophobic pocket shown in pancreatic phospholipase A2 [Drenth et al. (1976) Nature (Lond.) 264, 373-377], a protein likely to be homologous to the basic subunit of the toxin. At all temperatures, rotational lipid motion was inhibited by the toxin as indicated by the steroid probe. The electron spin-resonance spin-label results are interpreted in terms of the partial penetration of the basic subunit of the intact toxin into the membrane, disordering the ordered chains at low temperature and ordering the disordered chains at physiological temperatures. The purified individual toxin subunits did not perturb the membrane lipids at physiological temperatures implying that both subunits must be associated for activity of the toxin which is confirmed by toxicity studies.

Animals↗

Evaluation of a new set of calibration standards for the measurement of fat content via DPA and DXA.

A simulation study was performed to evaluate a new set of calibration standards for estimating the fat content of the body via dual-photon absorptiometry (DPA) and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). The standards, proposed by Nord and Payne [presented at the 2nd meeting of The Bath Conference on Bone Mineral Measurement (1990)] consist of stearic acid (100% fat) and 0.6% NaCl in water (100% lean). They were compared with other standards consisting of average composition adipose/muscle tissues and fatty adipose/lean muscle tissues. Source and detector properties of a Gd-153 DPA system and three commercial DXA systems were modeled. For each system and calibration set, rms errors in the calculated fat contents of simulated tissues having fat mass percentages that ranged from about 4%-44% and thicknesses that ranged from 5-20 cm were determined. Beam hardening errors for the systems were evaluated as was a calibration technique employed by one of the manufacturers to correct for such errors. In general, the smallest rms errors (2% or less when the calibration standards and tissues were of equal thickness) were obtained with the average adipose/muscle standards. Equivalent results were obtained with standards consisting of stearic acid and 0.8% NaCl. The latter is a higher salt content than proposed by Nord and Payne and results from differences in the x-ray attenuation coefficients that were employed in calculating the fat equivalence of water. Other, more convenient standards, such as lucite and water may be employed by using appropriate fat equivalences (approximately 69% for lucite and approximately 10% for water). Beam hardening errors for the DXA systems are considerable, and the simulated correction technique was shown to be effective.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗

Lipid-protein interactions in Escherichia coli membranes over-expressing the sugar-H(+) symporter, GalP EPR of spin-labelled lipids.

The D-galactose-H(+) symport protein (GalP) of Escherichia coli is a homologue of the human glucose transport protein, GLUT1. After amplified expression of the GalP transporter in E. coli, lipid-protein interactions were studied in gradient-purified inner membranes by using spin-label electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. Phosphatidylethanolamine, -glycerol, -choline and -serine, in addition to phosphatidic and stearic acids, were spin-labelled at the 14 C-atom of the sn-2 chain. EPR spectra of these spin labels at probe amounts in GalP membranes consist of two components. One component corresponds to a lipid population whose motion is restricted by direct interaction with the transmembrane sections of the integral protein. The other component corresponds to a lipid population with greater chain mobility, and is similar to the single-component EPR spectrum of the spin-labelled lipids in membranes of E. coli lipid extract. Quantitation of the protein-interacting spin-label component allows determination of the stoichiometry and selectivity of lipid-protein interactions. On average, approximately 20 mol of lipid are motionally restricted per 52 kDa of protein in GalP membranes. At the pH of the transport assay, there is relatively little selectivity between the different phospholipids tested. Only stearic acid displays a stronger preferential interaction with this protein.

Calcium-Binding Proteins↗

[Studies on chemical constituents of Choerospondias axillaris].

Ten compounds were isolated from the dry fruit of Choerospondias axillaris (Roxb.) Burtt et Hill. Their structures were elucidated as dihydroquercetin(1), quercetin(2), protocatechuic acid(3), gallic acid(4), 3,3'-di-o-methylellagic acid(5), beta-sitosterol(6), daucosterol (7), stearic acid(8), triacontanoic acid(9), octacosanol(10) by IR, EI-MS and NMR.

Anacardiaceae↗

Mechanism of biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids in Pseudomonas sp. strain E-3, a psychrotrophic bacterium.

Biosynthesis of palmitic, palmitoleic, and cis-vaccenic acids in Pseudomonas sp. strain E-3 was investigated with in vitro and in vivo systems. [1-14C]palmitic acid was aerobically converted to palmitoleate and cis-vaccenate, and the radioactivities on their carboxyl carbons were 100 and 43%, respectively, of the total radioactivity in the fatty acids. Palmitoyl coenzyme A desaturase activity was found in the membrane fraction. [1-14C]stearic acid was converted to octadecenoate and C16 fatty acids. The octadecenoate contained oleate and cis-vaccenate, but only oleate was produced in the presence of cerulenin. [1-14C]lauric acid was aerobically converted to palmitate, palmitoleate, and cis-vaccenate. Under anaerobic conditions, palmitate (62%), palmitoleate (4%), and cis-vaccenate (34%) were produced from [1-14C]acetic acid, while they amounted to 48, 39, and 14%, respectively, under aerobic conditions. In these incorporation experiments, 3 to 19% of the added radioactivity was detected in released 14CO2, indicating that part of the added fatty acids were oxidatively decomposed. Partially purified fatty acid synthetase produced saturated and unsaturated fatty acids with chain lengths of C10 to C18. These results indicated that both aerobic and anaerobic mechanisms for the synthesis of unsaturated fatty acid are operating in this bacterium.

Acetates↗