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Sterols and fatty acids ofEpifagus virginiana, a nonphotosynthetic angiosperm

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Lipids

Abstract

The sterol and fatty acid compositions ofEpifagus virginiana, which is a nonphotosynthetic flowering plant, have been examined by combined gas liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (GLC-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The organism exhibited a typical higher plant Δ5-sterol profile with the C-24 alkyl group oriented “α” for the major sterol Trace amounts of 24-methylenecycloartanol and cycloeucalenol established connection with the first cyclic intermediate (cycloartenol) in photosynthetic plant sterol biosynthesis. In a separate in vitro experiment, excised root and stem tissue were incubated with two labeled triterpenoid precursors, [2-3H] lanosterol and [2-3H]cycloartenol. Both the radioactive compounds were converted to labeled [3H]sitosterol indicating the presence of an active biosynthetic pathway inEpifagus. Characteristic photosynthetic higher plant fatty acids were also present, and the polyenic acid was identified as α-linolenic acid.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany, University of Maryland, 20742, College Park, Maryland

    W. David Nes, Glenn W. Patterson, M. Anne Southall & June L. Stanley

Authors
  1. W. David Nes
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  2. Glenn W. Patterson
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  3. M. Anne Southall
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  4. June L. Stanley
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Additional information

Scientific Article No. A2451. Contribution No. 5480 of the Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station.

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Nes, W.D., Patterson, G.W., Southall, M.A. et al. Sterols and fatty acids ofEpifagus virginiana, a nonphotosynthetic angiosperm. Lipids 14, 274–276 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02533914

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02533914

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