Osamu Hirayama

Lipids and Lipoprotein Complex in Photosynthetic Tissues: Part IV Lipids and Pigments of Photosynthetic Bacteria

Lipids and pigments of photosynthetic bacteria, Rhodospirillum rubrum and Rhodopseudomonas capsulatus were examined. Common and prominent lipids in both bacteria were phosphatidyl ethanolamine and phosphatidyl glycerol. Rhodospirillum rubrum contained a special lipid containing ornithine. Their component fatty acids were straight chain saturated and monoenoic acids. No glycolipids were found in both bacteria. Ubiquinone-50 was detected in large amounts in both bacteria, and a new quinone and rhodoquinone were found in Rhodospirillum rubrum. The major carotenoids were spirilloxanthin, lycopene, and probably rhodopin. The results were compared with those of spinach and Anacystis, and discussed.

Glyceride Structure and Biosynthesis of Natural Fats:Part III. Biosynthetic Process of Tryglycerides in Maturing Soybean Seed

Changes in the contents and compositions of lipid classes and water-soluble components were examined in maturing soybean seed. At the first stage of seed development, triglyceride formation was very slow, and considerably large quantity of free fatty acids, phosphatidic acid, monoglyceride, and diglyceride were accumulated. At the second stage triglycerides were produced rapidly and the other components decreased. Glycerophosphate also appeared in the maturing seed. These results suggest that Kennedy’s pathway to triglycerides and other side pathway occur in seed. Positional distribution of fatty acids in mono-, di-, and triglycerides was also determined, and synthetic process of glyceride structure was discussed.