PHYSIOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE OF EVEN-NUMBERED FATTY ACIDS AND ALDEHYDES IN PLASMALOGEN PHOSPHOLIPIDS OF SELENOMONAS RUMINANTIUM

When cells of Selenomonas ruminantium were grown in glucose medium containing valerate, a required growth factor, and imidazole, an inhibitor of α-oxidation, they showed abnormally elongated morphology. A small amount of caproate added to the culture medium resulted in recovery from abnormal to normal cell morphology. Therefore, the abnormal shape of the cells arises from deficiency in even-numbered fatty acids. When (1-14C) caproate was added to the culture deficient in even-numbered fatty acids, radioactivity was mainly incorporated into the phospholipid fraction. Approximately three-times-higher radioactivity was detected in plasmalogen phospholipids than in diacyl phospholipids. Specific radioactivities of fatty acids and aldehydes from plasmalogens were higher than those from any other lipid fractions. Fatty acid and aldehyde analysis revealed that radioactivity was incorporated exclusively into long chain even-numbered fatty acids and aldehydes. It was concluded that even-numbered fatty acids and aldehydes are especially important as constituents of plasmalogen phospholipids.