As the results of the previous studies on the lipids of micronektonic fishes and shrimps and zooplankton, it has been recognized that one of the most characteristic constituents of the midwater marineanimals' lipids is the wax esters. Moreover, a reversed relation betweon the triacylglycerol and wax ester contents has been observed, namely, the former is the main lipid class in the surface living animals, whereas the latter becomes the major one in the meso- and bathypelagic animals.
In order to study the biosynthesis of wax ester by marine animal and microorganism the in
vivo and
in vitro experiments were carried out. By using intact zooplankters which were caught from different depths, 50 m, 400 m, 1000 m, by a net, the incorporation of hexadecyl alcohol [
14CH2OH], -palmitic and -acetate into the wax esters was examined. In either cases, the higher radioactivity percentages were measured by the deeper zooplankters. Among the substrates used the highest incorporation was resulted from the use of hexadecyl alcohol. The inverse proportion between the triacylglycerol and wax ester formations with depth was recognized in the case of acetate incorporation. Furthermore, a limited interconversion of fatty acid and fatty alcohol moieties of the wax ester was demonstrated.
The homogenate supernatants of myctophids,
Diaphus glandulifer, decapods,
Sergestes prehensilis, and copepods.
Pareuchaeta elongata, synthesized the wax esters from [1-
14C] hexadecyl alcohol, -palmitic and -oleic acids, -tripalmitoylglycerol and -acetate. The addition of cofactors, ATP and CoA, enhanced the incorporation of acids in to the wax esters as much as 2 to 3 times, but did not for the case of albumin complex of oleic acid [
14COOH].
Marine microorganisms from different depths were collected on Millipore HA filters by filtrating 5 m, 50 m, 300 m, 1000 m layer waters. A tentative experiment on the biosynthesis and hydrolysis of wax esters by microorganisms was done on board. Unexpectedly high activities were detected in the classes of wax esters as well as of aldehydes and phospholipids. There were no clear relation of wax ester formation with depth. As the cofactors, ATP and CoA did not activate the synthesis of wax ester, but the addition of carnitine worked. Moreover, it was found that marine microorganisms also hydrolyzed oleyl [
14COOH] palmitate used for substrate.
As the conclusion from the results obtained here, all of these midwater animals and microorganisms biosynthesize the wax esters from the universally available precursors, acetate, fatty acids, as well as from long-chain alcohols. The data are discussed why wax esters are biosynthesized by them in midwater.
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