Journal of Lipid Research, Vol. 5, 352-362, July 1964
Copyright © 1964 by Lipid Research, Inc.

The fatty acids of Euglena gracilis

Edward D. Korn

Laboratory of Biochemistry, Section on Cellular Physiology, National Heart Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland

The complete structures of 51 fatty acids of Euglena gracilis have been determined. These include saturated fatty acids from C₉ to C₁₉, monounsaturated fatty acids from C₁₃ to C₁₉, diunsaturated fatty acids from C₁₅ to C₂₀, triunsaturated fatty acids from C₁₅ to C₂₀, tetraunsaturated fatty acids from C₁₅ to C₂₂, pentaunsaturated fatty acids from C₂₀ to C₂₂, and one docosahexaenoic acid. No evidence was found for branched or cyclic acids. All the double bonds are of the cis-configuration, and the double bonds of polyunsaturated fatty acids are all in methylene-interrupted sequences. E. gracilis synthesizes linoleic acid and linolenic acid, as well as longer chain polyunsaturated fatty acids structurally related to each, thus demonstrating fatty acid biosynthetic mechanisms characteristic of both plants and animals.

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