Regional distribution in the fatty acids of triacylglycerols and phospholipids within soybean seeds (Glycine max L.)

✍ Scribed by Hiromi Yoshida; Sako Kanei; Yuka Tomiyama; Yoshiyuki Mizushina

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2006
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 728 KB
• Volume: 108
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1438-7697
• DOI: 10.1002/ejlt.200500248

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

The fatty acid distribution of triacylglycerols (TAG) and major phospholipids (PL) within soybean seeds (Glycine max L.) was investigated in relation to their tocopherol contents. The lipids extracted from four cultivars were separated by thin‐layer chromatography into seven fractions. Tocopherols were predominantly detected in the axis, followed by cotyledons and seed coat. The major lipid components were TAG and PL, while hydrocarbons, steryl esters, free fatty acids and diacylglycerols (__sn‐__1,3 and __sn‐__1,2) were also present in minor proportions. With a few exceptions, the dominant PL components were phosphatidylcholine, followed by phosphatidylethanolamine or phosphatidylinositiol. Significant differences (p <0.05) in fatty acid distribution existed when different soybean cultivars were examined. However, the principal characteristics of the fatty acid distribution in the TAG were evident among four cultivars; unsaturated fatty acids were predominantly concentrated in the __sn‐__2 position, and saturated fatty acids primarily occupied the __sn‐__1 or __sn‐__3 position in the oils of the soybeans.