title: De novo biosynthesis of prostaglandins by the Australian field cricket, Teleogryllus commodus.
abstract: The accumulation and metabolism of certain polyunsaturated fatty acids by testes from the Australian field cricket, Teleogryllus commodus, are described. Testes accumulated a substantial proportion (about 16%) of label from radioactive C20:3n6 that was injected into the haemocoel. Fifty percent of the label accumulated by testes was associated with the phospholipid fraction, whereas in the remainder of the body 30% was incorporated into the phospholipid fraction. Prostaglandins (PG) E1, E2 and F2 alpha were quantified in extracts of the testes of adult insects by radioimmunoassay. Label from injected radioactive C18:2n6, C20:3n6 and C20:4n6 was recovered as prostaglandins PGE and PGF. The radioactivity from C18:2n6 that was recovered as PGE1 and PGF1 alpha indicated elongation/desaturation to C20:3n6 followed by conversion to PG. Since C18:2n6 is readily formed from acetate in T. commodus, these findings indicate the de novo biosynthesis of C20 polyunsaturated fatty acids and prostaglandins by this species.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001315:Australia; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000378:metabolism; D006135:Gryllidae / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009987:Orthoptera / Q000378:metabolism*; D011453:Prostaglandins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D011453:Prostaglandins