Desaturation of fatty acids in Trypanosoma cruzi

Journal Article · Sat Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1986 · Lipids; (United States)

OSTI ID:7091701

de Lema, M G; Aeberhard, E E

Uptake and metabolism of saturated (16:0, 18:0) and unsaturated (18:1(n-9), 18:2(n-6), 18:3(n-3)) fatty acids by cultured epimastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi were studied. Between 17.5 and 33.5% of the total radioactivity of (1-/sup 14/C)labeled fatty acids initially added to the culture medium was incorporated into the lipids of T. cruzi and mostly choline and ethanolamine phospholipids. As demonstrated by argentation thin layer chromatography, gas liquid chromatography and ozonolysis of the fatty acids synthesized, exogenous palmitic acid was elongated to stearic acid, and the latter was desaturated to oleic acid and 18:2 fatty acid. The 18:2 fatty acid was tentatively identified as linoleic acid with the first bond in the delta 9 position and the second bond toward the terminal methyl end. Exogenous stearic acid was also desaturated to oleic and 18:2 fatty acid, while oleic acid was only converted into 18:2. All of the saturated and unsaturated fatty acids investigated were also converted to a small extent (2-4%) into polyunsaturated fatty acids. No radioactive aldehyde methyl ester fragments of less than nine carbon atoms were detected after ozonolysis of any of the fatty acids studied. These results demonstrate the existence of delta 9 and either delta 12 or delta 15 desaturases, or both, in T. cruzi and suggest that delta 6 desaturase or other desaturases of the animal type are likely absent in cultured forms of this organism.

• Research Organization: Universidad Nacional de Rio Cuarto, Argentina
• OSTI ID: 7091701
• Journal Information: Lipids; (United States), Vol. 11
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
METABOLISM
UPTAKE
CARBON 14 COMPOUNDS
LIQUID COLUMN CHROMATOGRAPHY
METHYLATION
THIN-LAYER CHROMATOGRAPHY
TRACER TECHNIQUES
TRYPANOSOMA
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHROMATOGRAPHY
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
MASTIGOPHORA
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PARASITES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
550501* - Metabolism- Tracer Techniques