Journal of Lipid Research, Vol. 10, 267-270, May 1969
Copyright © 1969 by Lipid Research, Inc.

erythro-Diols of wax from the uropygial gland of the turkey

I. A. Hansen , B. K. Tang , and E. Edkins

Department of Biochemistry, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia 6009

The uropygial (preen) gland secretion of the domestic turkey resembles that of the chicken in consisting mainly of a diester wax. The esterified fatty acids are saturated; they include all members of the n-C₁₀-C₂₀ homologous series, the C₁₇-C₁₉ acids together accounting for 60% of the total. There are four major 2,3-n-alkanediols, C₁₉-C₂₃, all having the erythro configuration as determined by thin-layer chromatography on boric acid-silica gel and by gas-liquid chromatography. The chicken uropygiols, by contrast, contain erythro and threo diols. It is suggested that the chicken possesses two biosynthetic enzyme systems for the diols, the turkey only one

Supplementary key words chicken • diester wax • threo diols • uropygiols • thin-layer chromatography • boric acid—silica gel • gas-liquid chromatography • isomeric acetonides • stereospecific biosynthesis

Submitted on September 11, 1968
Accepted on January 9, 1969

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?