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Fatty acids in the lipids ofDrosophila heads: Effects of visual mutants, carotenoid deprivation and dietary fatty acids

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Lipids

Abstract

Lipids ofDrosophila heads were extracted and separated by high-performance thin-layer chromatography. Fatty acid compositions of major phospholipids as well as of triglycerides were analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography. Proportions of the major fatty acids (14∶0, 16∶0, 16∶1, 18∶0, 18∶1, 18∶2, 18∶3) varied depending on the lipid analyzed. Docosahexaenoic acid (22∶6), common in vertebrate photoreceptors and brain, and arachidonic acid (20∶4), a precursor of eicosanoids, were lacking. A comparison of the fatty acid composition of the dietvs. the head suggested thatDrosophila can desaturete but may not be able to elongate fatty acid carbon chains. Fatty acid analyses were carried out after the following visual system alterations: i) the transduction mutant whereno receptorpotential results from a deficit in phospholipase C; ii) an allele ofeyes absent; iii) the mutantouterrhabdomeresabsent which lacks visual pigment and rhabdomeres in the predominant type of compound eye receptor, rhabdomeres 1 through 6; and iv) carotenoid deprivation which reduces opsin and rhabdomere size. We also evaluated aging by comparing newly-emergedvs. aged wild-type flies. Alterations in fatty acid composition based on some of these manipulations were found. Based on comparisons between flies reared on media differing in C16 and C18, there is an indication that diet readily affects tissue fatty acid composition.

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Abbreviations

DHA:

docosahexaenoic acid

EDTA:

ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid

EGTA:

ethylene glycol-bis(β-aminoethyl ether)N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid

eya :

eyes absent

GLC:

gas-liquid chromatography

HPTLC:

high-performance thin-layer chromatography

norpA :

no receptorpotential

ora :

outerrhabdomeresabsent

PC:

phosphatidylcholine

PCr :

a likely PC analogue migrating to the right of PC in HPTLC

PE:

phosphatidylethanolamine

PI:

phosphatidylinositol

PL:

phospholipids

PLC:

phospholipase C

PS:

phosphatidylserine

R1–6:

rhabdomeres 1 through 6

TG:

triglyceride

UV:

ultraviolet

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Author information

Author notes

  1. Teng-Nan Lin

    Present address: Institute of Biomedical Science, Academia Sinica, 11529, Taipei, Republic of China

  2. J. Scott Christianson

    Present address: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Missouri, 65212, Columbia, MO

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Biological Science, University of Missouri, 65211, Columbia, Missouri

    William S. Stark & J. Scott Christianson

  2. Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri, 65211, Columbia, Missouri

    Teng-Nan Lin, David Brackhahn & Grace Y. Sun

Authors
  1. William S. Stark
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  2. Teng-Nan Lin
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  3. David Brackhahn
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  4. J. Scott Christianson
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  5. Grace Y. Sun
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Stark, W.S., Lin, TN., Brackhahn, D. et al. Fatty acids in the lipids ofDrosophila heads: Effects of visual mutants, carotenoid deprivation and dietary fatty acids. Lipids 28, 345–350 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02536321

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02536321

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