Phenotypic Characteristics and Fatty Acid Composition of Seeds from Different Herbaceous Peony Species Native to China

Herbaceous peony has been widely cultivated in China due to its substantial ornamental and medicinal value. In the present study, the phenotypic characteristics, total fatty acid (FA) content, and nine FA compositions of herbaceous peony seeds from 14 populations belonging to six species and one subspecies were determined by normal test and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The results showed that the phenotypic characteristics of seeds varied dramatically among species. The concentrations of five major FAs in seed oils were as follows: linoleic acid (173.95–236.51 μg/mg), linolenic acid (227.82–302.71 μg/mg), oleic acid (135.32–208.81 μg/mg), stearic acid (6.52–11.7 μg/mg), and palmitic acid (30.67–47.64 μg/mg). Correlation analysis demonstrated that oleic acid had the highest partial correlation coefficient with total FAs and might be applied to develop a model of phenotypic characteristics. FAs were significantly influenced by the following environmental factors: latitude, elevation, and annual average temperature. Based on the FA levels in the seed oils, clustering analysis divided 14 populations into two clusters. It was found that the average contents of oleic acid, linoleic acid, and total FAs in cluster I (147.16 μg/mg, 200.31 μg/mg, and 671.24 μg/mg, respectively) were significantly lower than those in cluster II (196.65 μg/mg, 220.16 μg/mg, and 741.78 μg/mg, respectively). Cluster I was perfectly consistent with subsect. Foliolatae, while cluster II was in good agreement with subsect. Dissectifoliae. Therefore, the FA composition of wild herbaceous peony seed oil might be used as a chemotaxonomic marker.     

Fatty Acid Patterns of Seeds of Some Salvia Species from Iran – A Chemotaxonomic Approach

In this study, the seed oil content and fatty acid (FA) profile of 21 populations from 16 wild Salvia species of Iran were analyzed by GC. Patterns of chemical variations of the oils among species were identified via numerical analyses and also the taxonomic status of the infrageneric grouping was outlined in the genus. Salvia species were scored based on the contents of main FAs using principal coordinate analysis (PCO). The results showed that the total oil content in the seeds varied significantly, and ranged from 6.68 to 38.53% dry weight. α‐Linolenic (18:3ω3, 1.69 – 53.56%), linoleic (18:2ω6, 13.04 – 60.64%), oleic (18:1ω9, 6.15 – 27.06%), palmitic (16:0, 3.77 – 9.27%), and stearic (18:0, 1.78 – 3.05%) acid were identified as five major FAs in the oils. The amount of ω‐3 and ω‐6 FAs ranged between 1.90 – 53.80% and 13.46 – 60.83% of total FAs in the seed oils, respectively. The results confirmed that FA profiles were distinctive among the species and that they can be used as chemotaxonomic markers. The discrimination of Salvia species according to their botanical classification at intersectional level was supported. In general, seed oils of Salvia species were rich sources of polyunsaturated FAs, except in linoleic and α‐linolenic acid, and may be valuable for food and pharmaceutical industries.     

Fatty acid and nutritive quality of chia (Salvia hispanica L.) seeds and plant during growth

The fatty acid (FA) profile, chemical composition, gross energy and organic matter digestibility of chia (Salvia hispanica L.) have been determined in the seed and in the plant collected at five progressive morphological stages from early vegetative to budding stage. The FA analyses disclosed quantitative differences between the plant stages that were characterised by a high percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), which made up from 752 to 623 g/kg of the total FA of the plant during the growth cycle. The α-linolenic acid (ALA, C_18:3n–3) decreased from 649 g/kg, at the early vegetative stage, to 499 g/kg of the total FA, at the budding stage, while all the other FAs increased with increasing growth stage. The chia seed FAs were also highly unsaturated, with their main components being ALA (641 g/kg of the total FA) and linoleic acid (LA, C_18:2n–6; 188 g/kg of the total FA).The evolution of the quality of chia is closely related to the ageing of the plant. The chia plant provides a forage with a good nutritive value when harvested at a stage before the shooting period. After this, the nutritional quality of the plant considerably decreases with an increase in the fibrous fractions and a dramatical decrease of the crude protein content.     

Variation in the Fatty‐Acid Content in Seeds of Various Black,Red, and White Currant Varieties

Currant seeds, a by‐product of juice production, are recognized as a valuable source of oil rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids. We have evaluated 28 currant varieties for their oil content and fatty‐acid composition. The oil content in the seeds ranged from 18.2–27.7%, and no statistical difference between varieties of different fruit color were recorded. Furthermore, the estimated oil yields in the field production ranged from 26.4–212.4 kg/ha. The GC and GC/MS chemical profiles of the seed oils extracted from all examined varieties were common for currants. Linoleic acid (LA) was the major component, with contents ranging from 32.7–46.9% of total fatty acids, followed by α‐linolenic acid (ALA; 2.9–32.0 %), oleic acid (OA; 9.8–19.9%), γ‐linolenic acid (GLA; 3.3–18.5%), palmitic acid (PA; 4.4–8.1%), stearidonic acid (SDA; 2.2–4.7%), and stearic acid (SA; 1.2–2.4%). Quantitative differences in the fatty‐acid profiles between varieties of different fruit color were observed. Blackcurrant varieties showed significantly higher contents of LA, GLA, and PA than red and white currant varieties, whereas significantly higher amounts of ALA and OL were detected in the red and white varieties. Cluster analysis based on the chemical oil profiles joined the blackcurrants in one group, while most of the red and white cultivars joined in a second group at the same linkage distance.     

压榨法制备牡丹籽油的α-亚麻酸含量检测与抗氧化研究

介绍了物理压榨法制备牡丹籽油的方法，且对制备出的牡丹籽油和市售牡丹籽调和油进行了α-亚麻酸（ALA）含量检测以及对两种牡丹籽油的抗氧化性能进行对比分析。研究结果表明，牡丹籽油的α-亚麻酸含量为43.12%，牡丹籽调和油α-亚麻酸含量为29.99%；清除DPPH自由基能力牡丹籽油是调和油的1.29倍；清除ABTS自由基能力牡丹籽油是调和油的1.51倍；对Fe²⁺还原能力牡丹籽油是调和油的3.62倍；清除-OH自由基能力牡丹籽油是调和油的1.44倍。说明牡丹籽具有更强的抗氧化能力。     

Fatty acid composition and <Emphasis Type="Italic">PlFADs</Emphasis> expression related to α-linolenic acid biosynthesis in herbaceous peony (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Paeonia lactiflora</Emphasis> Pall.)

As a new α-linolenic acid (ALA) resource, there has been little known about the relationship between expression levels of fatty acid desaturase (FAD) genes during seed development and fatty acid (FA) composition in herbaceous peony (Paeonia lactiflora Pall.). In this study, oil content and FA composition of nine cultivars were measured at four different stages during seed development. Moreover, five genes including PlFAD2-1, PlFAD2-2, PlFAD3-2, PlFAD6 and PlFAD7 related to the ALA biosynthesis were isolated. Furthermore, the relative expression levels of these genes in seeds were investigated in two cultivars, that is, ‘PL1’ and ‘PL2’ with higher and lower ALA content, respectively. The results showed that oil content was from 17.03 ± 0.15 to 24.51 ± 0.15%; 15 kinds of FA were detected. However, the relative content of ALA was decreased during seed development. Although, the genes PlFAD2-1, PlFAD2-2, PlFAD3-2, PlFAD6 and PlFAD7 were all expressed during the seed development, the expression levels varied significantly. Most of the genes were expressed strongly in the early stage but weakly in the late stage except PlFAD6. Moreover, expression level of gene PlFAD2-2 was the highest while that of PlFAD7 was lowest at S1. In addition, the relative expression level of genes in ‘PL1’ (high ALA content) was higher than those in ‘PL2’ (low ALA content) during the early stage of the seed development apart from gene PlFAD6. This study provides a reliable theoretical basis for improving the contents of ALA by means of genetic engineering in the herbaceous peony seed oil.     

Fatty acid composition of the seed lipids of Chamaerops humilis L. natural populations and its relation with the environment

Seed lipids composition is a tool to discriminate among plant taxa and is related to phylogeny and biogeographic distribution. Aim of the present study was to evaluate the fatty acid (FA) composition of the seed lipids from nine natural Chamaerops humilis L. population and its relation with the climatic traits of the collection sites. The average seed lipids content was 54.8 g kg^? 1 and the most represented FAs were oleic (478 g kg^? 1 oil) and linoleic (230 g kg^? 1 oil), with significant differences among the accessions. Most of the lipid traits significantly correlated with climatic traits. In particular, oleic acid negatively correlated with year potential evapotranspiration. These relations could emerge from a genotypic adaptation to the environment. The seed of C. humilis showed high content of lipids, which implies an importance of the species for feeding wild life during winter, and a high degree of unsaturation. Considering the importance of the unsaturated FAs in human and animal nutrition, the present results suggest that European fan palm could be introduced in breeding programmes and its seed extract used as FA in diet supplementation. Further studies are needed to identify the content of anti-nutritional or nutraceutical compounds.     

Is the Profile of Fatty Acids,Tocopherols, and Amino Acids Suitable to Differentiate Pinus armandii Suspicious to Be Responsible for the Pine Nut Syndrome from Other Pinus Species?

Pinus armandii is suspicious to be responsible for the Pine Nut Syndrome, a long lasting bitter and metallic taste after the consumption of pine nuts. To find chemical characteristic features for the differentiation of P. armandii from other Pinus species, 41 seed samples of the genus Pinus from 22 plant species were investigated regarding the content and the composition of fatty acids, tocopherols, and amino acids. The predominant fatty acids in the seed oils were linoleic acid (35.2 – 58.2 g/100 g), oleic acid (14.6 – 48.5 g/100 g), and pinolenic acid (0.2 – 22.4 g/100 g), while the vitamin‐E‐active compounds were dominated by γ‐tocopherol. The amino acid composition was mainly characterized by arginine and glutamic acid with amounts between 0.9 and 8.9 g/100 g as well as 2.1 g/100 g and 8.3 g/100 mg. On the basis of this investigation, a Principle Component Analysis has been used to identify the most important components for the differentiation of P. armandii from other Pinus species. Using the data for glutamic acid, 20:2Δ^5,11, 18:3Δ^5,9,12, 18:1Δ⁹, and oil content, a classification of the 41 samples into four different groups by cluster analysis was possible, but the characteristic features of P. armandii were too close to some other members of the genus Pinus, making a clear differentiation of this species difficult. Nevertheless, the investigation showed the similarities of different members of the genus Pinus with regard to fatty acids, vitamin‐E‐active compounds, and amino acids.     

Does fire drive fatty acid composition in seed coats of physically dormant species?

• Seed dormancy is the key driver regulating seed germination, hence is fundamental to the seedling recruitment life-history stage and population persistence. However, despite the importance of physical dormancy (PY) in timing post-fire germination, the mechanism driving dormancy-break within seed coats remains surprisingly unclear. We suggest that seed coat chemistry may play an important role in controlling dormancy in species with PY. In particular, seed coat fatty acids (FAs) are hydrophobic, and have melting points within the range of seed dormancy-breaking temperatures. Furthermore, melting points of saturated FAs increase with increasing carbon chain length. We investigated whether fire could influence seed coat FA profiles and discuss their potential influence on dormancy mechanisms.
• Seed coat FAs of 25 species within the Faboideae, from fire-prone and fire-free ecosystems, were identified and quantified through GC–MS. Fatty acid profiles were interpreted in the context of species habitat and interspecific variation.
• Fatty acid compositions were distinct between species from fire-prone and fire-free habitats. Fire-prone species tended to have longer saturated FA chains, a lower ratio of saturated to unsaturated FA, and a slightly higher relative amount of FAs compared to fire-free species.
• The specific FA composition of seed coats of fire-prone species indicated a potential role of FAs in dormancy mechanisms. Overall, the distinct FA composition between fire-prone and fire-free species suggests that chemistry of the seed coat may be under selection pressure in fire-prone ecosystems.

     

两种海桐属植物种子油脂肪酸组成的分析评价

采用有机溶剂抽提了海桐属 2种植物 (海桐和皱叶海桐 )的籽油 ,使用气相色谱法 (GC)分析鉴定了其油脂的脂肪酸组分。 2种籽油均含有 6种脂肪酸 ,主要脂肪酸成分均为软脂酸 (C16∶0 )和油酸 (C18∶1)。其含量 ( % )分别为 :软脂酸 (C16∶0 ) 2 9.66,3 4 .72 ;油酸 (C18∶1) 66.4 3 ,62 .54。这两种油脂中 ,单不饱和脂肪酸油酸占优势 ,因而品质优良。提示海桐属植物籽油可作为保健型食用油研究和开发利用     

Fatty acid composition of lipids from mushrooms belonging to the family Boletaceae

The non-polar lipid content and fatty acid (FA) composition of 11 mushroom species of the family Boletaceae were determined. The non-polar lipid content ranged from 2.0 (Leccinum aurantiacum and Boletus erythropus) to 5.4 % (w/w) d.w. (Suillus grevillei) with an average value of 2.9 %. More than 25 different FAs were found in the mushroom lipids. Unsaturated FAs, mainly linoleic and oleic acids, accounted for about 83 % of the total FAs, while palmitic acid was the main saturated FA. Some FAs are identified for the first time in Boletaceae and in higher Basidiomycetes (cis-11,12-methyleneoctadecanoic acid, 7-cis,10-cis hexadecadienoic) or in fungi (cis-11,12-methyleneoctadecanoic acid). There were significant differences (P < 0.05) in the contents of specific FAs between mushroom species.     

Fatty Acids from the Sea of Japan Sponge Halichondria panicea

The fatty acid (FA) composition of total lipids isolated from the marine sponge Halichondria panicea inhabiting Peter the Great Bay of the Sea of Japan was studied. GC and GC-MS techniques were used in identification of 63 FAs, with the main attention being paid to FAs with 14–22 carbon atoms. 4,8,12-Trimethyl-13:0 FA was for the first time identified as a main saturated FA, along with the branched FAs br-25:1, br-27:1, and br-27:2. The contents of arachidonic, eicosapentaenoic, docosapentaenoic, and the major demospongic acids [26:3(5,9,19), 26:3(5,9,17), 27:3(5,9,20), and 28:3(5,9,21)] considerably differed from those previously found for H. panicea, which may be due to seasonal changes in the species composition of organisms consumed by the sponge.     

Cytotoxicity of combined essential fatty acids on a human prostate cancer cell line

In this study the effect of single and concomitantly added n-6 or n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) was investigated on human prostate cells. Data obtained from the single fatty acids (FAs) experiments showed that except for oleic acid (OA), arachidonic (AA) and linoleic acid (LA), which had very little (less than 10% cells dead) effect on the cells, an increase in dead cells was observed at physiological concentrations of, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). However, this was not the case when combining these acids at physiological concentrations. A slight increase in cell death was only obtained with three combinations of ALA, namely with AA, OA, or GLA. Other combinations with ALA, such as with LA or EPA, had respectively no effect on cell number or increased the cell number by causing less cells to die. Other PUFAs combinations tested, did not show the three groups mentioned with ALA, but only the last two types, namely, no effect, or a decrease in the amount of cell death. The latter might mean that the FA combination had stimulated the cells, since a decrease in the amount of dead cells was observed. Therefore, it is concluded that the characteristics of combined FAs may differ from single FAs, which may explain some controversies in the literature and in response to treatments.     

Omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids metabolism pathways in the body of pigs fed diets with different sources of fatty acids

This study was carried out on 24 gilts (♀ Polish Large White × ♂ Danish Landrace) grown with body weight (BW) of 60 to 105 kg. The pigs were fed diets designed on the basis of a standard diet (appropriate for age and BW of pigs) where a part of the energy content was replaced by different fat supplements: linseed oil in Diet L, rapeseed oil in Diet R and fish oil in Diet F (6 gilts per dietary treatment). The fat supplements were sources of specific fatty acids (FA): in Diet L α-linolenic acid (C18:3 n?3, ALA); in Diet R linoleic acid (C18:2 n?6, LA) and in Diet F eicosapentaenoic acid (C20:5 n?3, EPA), docosapentaenoic acid (C22:5 n?3, DPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6 n?3, DHA). The protein, fat and total FA contents in the body did not differ among groups of pigs. The enhanced total intake of LA and ALA by pigs caused an increased deposition of these FA in the body (p < 0.01) and an increased potential body pool of these acids for further metabolism/conversions. The conversion efficiency of LA and ALA from the feed to the pig’s body differed among groups (p < 0.01) and ranged from 64.4% to 67.2% and from 69.4% to 81.7%, respectively. In Groups L and R, the level of de novo synthesis of long-chain polyunsaturated FA was higher than in Group F. From the results, it can be concluded that the efficiency of deposition is greater for omega-3 FA than for omega-6 FA and depends on their dietary amount. The level of LA and ALA intake influences not only their deposition in the body but also the end products of the omega-3 and omega-6 pathways.     

Changes in the nutritional quality of decaying leaf litter in a stream based on fatty acid content

We examined the nutritional quality of decaying leaf litter in a third-order forested stream, using measurements of fatty acid (FA) composition over time. We measured changes in concentrations of total, polyunsaturated, microalgal, and microbial marker FAs in mixed-species leaf packs in spring and autumn and effects of including/excluding macroinvertebrates. Initial concentrations of total FAs in litter were significantly less in spring (5.2 mg/g) than in autumn (6.9 mg/g; F = 6.3; P = 0.03), but total FA concentrations in litter placed in the stream declined significantly over 120 days in both spring (62%; F = 10.9; P < 0.001) and autumn (56%; F = 19.4; P = 0.0001). Quantities of most FAs declined at a greater rate than that of bulk leaf matter. The presence or absence of macroinvertebrates (5 mm vs. 250 μm mesh) had no effect on FA concentration or composition of decomposing litter. Omega-3 polyunsaturated FAs were either nearly absent (20:5ω3) or depleted preferentially over other FAs (18:3ω3). During decomposition the polyunsaturated FA linoleic acid (18:2ω6, common in fungi), declined in concentration more rapidly than other FAs in the spring, but in autumn declined at slower rates, perhaps suggesting greater fungal activity in autumn. Quantities of bacterial (e.g., 16:1ω7) and fungal (e.g., 18:1ω9) FA markers increased over time in autumn (and 16:1ω7 also in spring). Our data provide no evidence for increasing nutritional FA quality of litter during decay and microbial colonization, based on total and polyunsaturated FAs, despite measured increases in bacterial and fungal FA over time. Routine measurements of FA composition of litter could provide insights into the nutrition of allochthonous matter and the importance of fungi and bacteria during decomposition.     

Fatty acid composition of the blubber in white whales (Delphinapterus leucas)

Fatty acid (FA) composition of the blubber in free-ranging white whales (Delphinapterus leucas) from Svalbard's waters was determined and compared with the fatty acid composition of potential prey species in an attempt to assess diet. This methodology is based on the common assumption that unique arrays of FAs found within groups of organisms are transferred, largely unaltered, up marine food chains and thus may be useful for assessment of diet composition. Complete-column blubber biopsies were sampled from white whales (n=7) during the summers of 1996 and 1997. All captured animals were adult males. FAs were extracted from 2–4 replicates taken from an area about 10 cm in front of the mid-dorsal ridge. FA data from a total of 12 potential prey species from the Svalbard area were compared to the white-whale blubber samples. Twenty-two FAs were consistently found in relative amounts >0.5% of the total FA composition in white whales. These FAs accounted for 94–96% of the total FAs present. The blubber was composed almost entirely of triacylglycerols. The major saturated FAs were 14:0 and 16:0; 16:1(n-7), 18:1(n-9) and 20:1(n-9) were the major monounsaturated FAs and 20:5(n-3) and 22:6(n-3) were the major polyunsaturated FAs. Sixteen of the 22 FAs consistently found in the white-whale blubber were also found in considerable amounts (>0.5% of total FAs) in most of the potential species. Principal Component Analysis run on these 16 FAs suggests that polar cod (Boreogadus saida) had the most similar FA composition to the white-whale blubber, followed by capelin (Mallotus villosus), the copepod Calanus hyperboreus and the shrimp Pandalus borealis. Accepted: 27 November 1999     

Functional characterization of two microsomal fatty acid desaturases from Jatropha curcas L.

Linoleic acid (LA, C18:2) and α-linolenic acid (ALA, C18:3) are polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and major storage compounds in plant seed oils. Microsomal ω-6 and ω-3 fatty acid (FA) desaturases catalyze the synthesis of seed oil LA and ALA, respectively. Jatropha curcas L. seed oils contain large proportions of LA, but very little ALA. In this study, two microsomal desaturase genes, named JcFAD2 and JcFAD3, were isolated from J. curcas. Both deduced amino acid sequences possessed eight histidines shown to be essential for desaturases activity, and contained motif in the C-terminal for endoplasmic reticulum localization. Heterologous expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Arabidopsis thaliana confirmed that the isolated JcFAD2 and JcFAD3 proteins could catalyze LA and ALA synthesis, respectively. The results indicate that JcFAD2 and JcFAD3 are functional in controlling PUFA contents of seed oils and could be exploited in the genetic engineering of J. curcas, and potentially other plants.     

Project DyAdd: Fatty acids and cognition in adults with dyslexia, ADHD, or both

Both attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and dyslexia are suggested to co-occur with altered fatty acid (FA) metabolism, but it is unknown how FAs are associated with the cognitive domains that characterize these disorders. In the project DyAdd, we investigated the associations between FAs in serum phospholipids and phonological processing, reading, spelling, arithmetic, executive functions, and attention. Healthy controls (n=36), adults with ADHD (n=26), dyslexia (n=36), or both (n=9) were included in the study. FAs included saturated, monounsaturated, total polyunsaturated, n-3, and n-6 FAs, together with n-6/n-3, AA/EPA, and LA/ALA ratios. When all the study subjects were included in the analyses, especially polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs) were positively associated with cognition, but reading was least associated with FAs. These associations were modulated by gender, intelligence, n-3 PUFA intake, and group. Accordingly, within the ADHD group, only few associations emerged with PUFAs, n-6 PUFAs, and cognitive domains, whereas in the dyslexia group the more prevalent associations appeared with PUFAs and n-3 PUFAs.