Abstract
Modified glycerophospholipids with expected novel physiological functions were prepared by introducing different acyl groups into soybean phospholipids. The method was based on the enzymatic transesterification of phospholipids with monoacylglycerol (MG) or diacylglycerol (DG). The transacylation ratios reached 46-59% and nearly quantitative recovery of phospholipids was obtained in the case of transacylation of phospholipids with MGs having C12 to C18 saturated and monounsaturated acyl groups. With C18:2-MG or C18:3-MG, however, transacylation ratios were less than ca. 20% MGs with C4 to C8 saturated acyl groups also gave very low transacylation ratios, but the ratios were moderately improved by using DGs with C6 and C8 acyl groups. It is considered from a series of the results that higher transacylated phospholipids might be obtained y repeating transacylations owing to be able to recover the phospholipids quantitatively after the reaction because MG with longer acyl groups than C10 or DG with C8 acyl groups acted as acyl donors and replacement for essential water, to suppress the simultaneous hydrolysis, in an enzymatic reaction.
