Lipid composition and sphingolipid fatty acids of myelin in fruit bat brain

Myelin was isolated from the brain of adult fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus) in a discontinuous sucrose gradient. Cholesterol comprised 189.0 mol/100 mol lipid phosphorus, galactolipids 60.3 mol/100 mol phosphorus and plasmalogens 32.5 mol/100 mol phosphorus. Choline and ethanolamine glycerophosphatide were present in nearly equal amounts followed by serine glycerophosphatide, sphingomyelin and inositol glycerophosphatides.The fatty acid composition of sphingomyelin and non-hydroxy cerebroside was determined by gas-liquid chromatography. Fatty acids were mainly saturated or mono-unsaturated with a small percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids present.The lipid composition and sphingolipid fatty acid distribution in bat myelin was fairly similar to that of other species.