Abstract
Panagrolaimus davidi is a free-living Antarctic nematode which has a high cold-tolerance. Its lipid and fatty acid compositions were compared with those of Caenorhabditis elegans in three culture temperatures (15, 20, 25℃). The ratio of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) to phosphatidylcholine (PC) of P. davidi was similar to that of C. elegans and did not depend on culture temperature. On the other hand, the ratio of triacylglycerol (TAG) to phospholipid (PL) for P. davidi was significantly larger than that for C. elegans. In the PE, PC and TAG of P. davidi, the number of double bonds was small and the percentage of monounsaturated fatty acids was large as compared with C. elegans. The ratio of PE to PC was increased when P. davidi cultured at 25℃ were exposed to 5℃. In the PE and TAG of P. davidi, the number of double bonds and the percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids were increased by the exposure to low temperature.
