Lipid biosynthesis in developing mustard seed: formation of triacylglycerols from endogenous and exogenous Fatty acids

Cotyledons of developing mustard (Sinapis alba L.) seed have been found to synthesize lipids containing the common plant fatty acids and very long-chain monounsaturated (icosenoic, erucic, and tetracosenic) and saturated (icosanoic, docosanoic, and tetracosanoic) fatty acids from various radioactive precursors. The in vivo pattern of labeling of acyl lipids, either from fatty acids synthesized `endogenously' from radioactive acetate or malonate, or from radioactive fatty acids added `exogenously', indicates the involvement of the following pathways in the biosynthesis of triacylglycerols. Palmitic, stearic, and oleic acid, synthesized in the acyl carrier protein-track, are channeled to the Coenzyme A (CoA)-track and converted to triacylglycerols via the glycerol-3-phosphate pathway. Pools of stearoyl-CoA and oleoyl-CoA are elongated to very long-chain saturated and monounsaturated acyl-CoA, respectively. Most of the very long-chain saturated acyl-CoAs acylate preformed diacylglycerols. Very long-chain monounsaturated acyl-CoAs are converted to triacylglycerols, partly via phosphatidic acids and diacylglycerols, and partly by acylation of preformed diacylglycerols.