Fatty Acid Distribution in Lipids of Marine Plankton

Abstract

In the diatom, Skeletonema costatum, as well as in a zooplankton sample, the polyunsaturated fatty acids of the triglycerides were found accumulated in the β-position of the glycerol. This fatty acid distribution pattern is typical for animal fats, in particular for fish oils. Together with the recent demonstration that fish and invertebrates retain in part the structure of ingested triglycerides, the findings of the present study show that the typical structure of marine triglycerides originates in phytoplankton and is to a large degree retained through the marine food chains.The fatty acid composition of several other lipid fractions of the plankton samples was also determined.

13C nuclear magnetic resonance monitoring of free fatty acid release after fish thermal processing

“…NMR has also demonstrated that PUFAs in tuna triacylglycerols and phospholipids are preferentially esterified in the sn-2 acyl position of the glycerol moiety (8,14). This agrees with results presented by authors who have theorized that the preferential positional distribution of PUFAs in the sn-2 acyl position (16) can be related to in vivo biological protection against hydrolytic cleavage and oxidative damage (17,18). This finding is also confirmed by the study of the glycerol region (15), in which only sn-l,2-diacylglycerols resonances were observed (data not shown).…”

Changes in the Condition Index and Chemical Contents of Venerupis (decussata decussate L.) from the Egyptian Coastal Waters.

“…3). Similar observations were found for rock lobster (50% phospholipid, De Koning and Mc Mullan, 1966) and zooplankton (54% phospholipid and 8% triglycerides, Brockerhoff et al 1964). As cholestrol is one of the essential constituents of triglycerides, venerupis oil and consequently its soft parts are of low cholestrol content.…”

Positional distribution of docosahexaenoic acid in triacyl-sn-glycerols of rotifers Brachionus plicatilis enriched with fish oil fatty acid ethyl esters

“…For example, when rotifers were enriched with fish oil TAG for 24 h, DHA was preferentially esterified in the sn ‐3 position of the rotifer TAG followed in sequence by the sn ‐2 and sn ‐1 positions. This distribution pattern was not similar to that in marine zooplankton TAG where DHA was reported to be rich in the sn ‐2 position (Brockerhoff, Yurkowski, Hoyle & Ackman 1964).…”

“…Previously, Brockerhoff and colleagues (1964) reported the positional distribution of fatty acids in TAG and phosphatidylcholines of a marine zooplankton mixture (fish eggs, amphipods, copepods, isopods and annelids). Docosahexaenoic acid in the TAG was preferentially esterified in the sn ‐2 position (11 mol%) and low in the sn ‐1,3 position (only 1 mol%).…”