Unusual fatty acid isomers of triacylglycerols and polar lipids in female limpet gonads of Cellana grata

Lipids. 2008 Jun;43(6):559-67. doi: 10.1007/s11745-008-3179-0. Epub 2008 May 6.

Abstract

To investigate the occurrence of positional isomers of unsaturated fatty acids (FA) in triacylglycerols (TAG) and polar lipids (PL) in the female gonads of a dominant limpet, Cellana grata, fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) were fractionated according to the degree of their unsaturation by argentation thin-layer chromatography. Their structures were elucidated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of a combination of their FAME and picolinyl esters. A total of 125 different FA ranging from 12 to 24 carbon atoms were identified, and 105 unsaturated FA, including 34 nonmethylene-interrupted FA as minor components, were recognized. Although the major FA 16:0 and 18:1n-7, which accounted for more than 20 and 10%, respectively, of total FA, were present in TAG and PL, higher amounts of 20:4n-6 and 20:5n-3 were present in PL. Unsaturated FA consisting of more than five different positional isomers were 17:1, 19:1, 18:2, 19:2, 20:2, 21:2, 22:2, 20:3, and 22:3, most of which were present in TAG. Furthermore, a larger variety of nonmethylene-interrupted FA was found in TAG than in PL. This limpet gonad had a diverse assortment of unsaturated FA that comprised a wide range of unusual positional isomers with one to five double bonds.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Catalysis
  • Fatty Acids / chemistry*
  • Female
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
  • Gonads / chemistry*
  • Isomerism
  • Lipids / chemistry*
  • Mollusca
  • Triglycerides / chemistry*

Substances

  • Fatty Acids
  • Lipids
  • Triglycerides