Abstract
Uptake and metabolism of saturated (16∶0, 18∶0) and unsaturated [18∶1(n−9), 18∶2(n−6), 18∶3(n−3)] fatty acids by cultured epimastigotes ofTrypanosoma cruzi were studied. Between 17.5 and 33.5% of the total radioactivity of [1-14C]labeled fatty acids initially added to the culture medium was incorporated into the lipids ofT. cruzi and mostly choline and ethanolamine phospholipids. As demonstrated by argentation thin layer chromatography, gas liquid chromatography and ozonolysis of the fatty acids synthesized, exogenous palmitic acid was elongated to stearic acid, and the latter was desaturated to oleic acid and 18∶2 fatty acid. The 18∶2 fatty acid was tentatively identified as linoleic acid with the first bond in the Δ9 position and the second bond toward the terminal methyl end. Exogenous stearic acid was also desaturated to oleic and 18∶2 fatty acid, while oleic acid was only converted into 18∶2. All of the saturated and unsaturated fatty acids investigated were also converted to a small extent (2–4%) into polyunsaturated fatty acids. No radioactive aldehyde methyl ester fragments of less than nine carbon atoms were detected after ozonolysis of any of the fatty acids studied. These results demonstrate the existence of Δ9 and either Δ12 or Δ15 desaturases, or both, inT. cruzi and suggest that Δ6 desaturase or other desaturases of the animal type are likely absent in cultured forms of this organism.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aeberhard, E.E., Lema, M.G., Dominguez, M.V., and Bronia, D.I.H. (1979)Arch. Biol. Med. Exp 2, 238.
Aeberhard, E.E., Moretti, E.R., Basso, B., Lema, M.G., and Bronia, D.I.H. (1980)Medicina, Buenos Aires 40 (Suppl. 1), 165–170.
Aeberhard, E.E., Lema, M.G., and Bronia, D.I.H. (1981)Lipids 16, 623–625.
Cook, H.W.J. (1978)J. Neurochem. 30, 1327–1334.
Korn, E.D., Greenblatt, C.L., and Lees, A.M. (1965)J. Lipid Res. 6, 43–50.
Dixon, H., Ginger, C.D., and Williamson, J. (1971)Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 39B, 247–266.
Meyer, H., and Holz, G.G. (1966)J. Biol. Chem. 241, 5000–5007.
Morrison, W.R., and Smith, L.M. (1964)J. Lipid Res. 5, 600–608.
Dixon, H., and Williamson, J. (1970)Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 33, 111–128.
Bronia, D.I.H., Montamat, E.E., Aeberhard, E.E., and Segura, E.L. (1976)Medicina, Buenos Aires 36, 294–298.
Timm, S.L., Pereira-Netto, A.D., and Oliveira, M.M. (1982)Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 71B, 397–402.
Stein, R.A., and Nicolaides, N. (1962)J. Lipid Res. 3, 476–478.
Bloch, K., Baronowsky, P., Goldfine, H., Lennarz, W.J., Light, R., Norris, A.T., and Scheuerbrandt, G. (1961)Fed. Proc. 20, 921–923.
Bronia, D.I.H., Aeberhard, E.E., Montamat, E.E., and Segura, E.L. (1980)Medicina, Buenos Aires 40 (Suppl. 1), 154–158.
von Brand, T. (1962)Rev. Inst. Med. Trop. Sao Paulo 4, 53–60.
Bailey, J.M. (1966)Biochem. Biophys. Acta 125, 226–236.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
About this article
Cite this article
de Lema, M.G., Aeberhard, E.E. Desaturation of fatty acids inTrypanosoma cruzi . Lipids 21, 718–720 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02537247
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02537247