In Vivo Studies of the Biosynthesis of [alpha]-Eleostearic Acid in the Seed of Momordica charantia L.
In vivo radiotracer experiments using 14C-labeled acetate, oleate, linoleate, and linolenate were conducted to investigate the biosynthesis of [alpha]-eleostearic acid in the seeds of Momordica charantia. With the exception of [14C]linolenate, all of these precursors radioactively labeled [alpha]-eleostearate. Kinetics of the time course of metabolism of the radioactive precursors indicate that linoleate is the acyl precursor of [alpha]-eleostearate and that its conversion to [alpha]-eleostearate occurs while the acyl moiety is esterified to PC. Pulse-chase experiments with 14C-labeled acetate or linoleate provided additional corroborative evidence that linoleoyl PC is the precursor of [alpha]-eleostearoyl PC.
Liu
L.
L
Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition (L.L.,E.G.H., B.J.N.) and Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics (E.G.H., B.J.N.), Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011.
Hammond
E. G.
EG
Nikolau
B. J.
BJ