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Identification of ceramide-phosphorylethanolamine in Oomycete plant pathogens: Pythium ultimum, phytophthora infestans, and Phytophthora capsici

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Lipids

Abstract

Cellular lipids were extracted from three species of Oomycete plant pathogens (Pythium ultimum, Phytophthora infestans, and Ph. capsici) and analyzed via normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with flame-ionization detection. The most abundant polar lipids in each of the three species were the polar membrane lipids, phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylcholine, and a phosphosphingolipid that eluted soon after PE. Structural analysis via mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry revealed that the phosphosphingolipid was ceramide phosphorylethanolamine (Cer-PE). The most abundant molecular species of Cer-PE in P. ultimum had a molecular weight of 670.5, contained an unusual 19-carbon branched triunsaturated sphingoid (C19-Δ4, 8, 10, 9-methyl long-chain base) and palmitic acid as the amidelinked fatty acid. The most abundant molecular species of Cer-PE in Ph. infestans has a molecular weight of 714.5, contained a common 16-carbon 1,3 di-OH sphingoid, and erucic (cis 13-docosenoic, C22-Δ13) acid as the amide-linked fatty acid. The Cer-PE in Ph. capsici comprised a mixture of each of the two molecular species found in P. ultimum and Ph. infestans.

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Abbreviations

CAD:

collisionally acttivated dissociation

CAEP:

ceramide aminoethylphosphonate

Cer-PE:

ceramide phosphorylethanolamine

Cer-PI:

eeramide phosphorylinositol

2D:

two-dimensional

FAB:

fast atom bombardment

FID:

flame-ionization detector

GC/MS:

gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

HPLC:

high-performance liquid chromatography

LC/MS:

liquid chromatography/MS

NMR:

nuclear magnetic resonance

PC:

phosphatidylcholine

PE:

phosphatidylethanolamine

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Laboratoires, Rohm and Haas Co., 19477, Spring House, Pennsylvania

    David H. Young, Paul O. Danis, Chad J. Quinn, Kebede Beshah, Richard A. Slawecki & Robert L. Dilliplane

  2. Eastern Regional Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 600 E. Mermaid Lane, 19038, Wyndmoor, PA

    Robert A. Moreau & Michael J. Powell

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  1. Robert A. Moreau
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  2. David H. Young
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Correspondence to Robert A. Moreau.

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Moreau, R.A., Young, D.H., Danis, P.O. et al. Identification of ceramide-phosphorylethanolamine in Oomycete plant pathogens: Pythium ultimum, phytophthora infestans, and Phytophthora capsici . Lipids 33, 307–317 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-998-0210-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-998-0210-1

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