Summary
The chemical structure of the polyenoic fatty acids occuring in organ phosphatides and in fish oils is reviewed. The double bonds of all these polyenoic acids are arranged in divinylmethane pattern. Except some of the C16-polyenoic acids of fish oils, these polyenoic acids belong either to the oleic, linoleic or linolenic acid type and have chain lengths C18, C20, and C22. Polyenoic acids of the oleic acid type are present only in small amounts in phosphatides of mammalian origin. Fish oils are lacking in these but predominantly contain polyenoic acids of the linolenic acid type.
Metabolic studies have shown that polyenoic acids of linoleic acid type (e.g. arachidonic acid) originate from linoleic acid and those of the linolenic acid type (e.g. C20-pentaenoic and C22-hexaenoic acid) from linolenic acid-both supplemented exogenous-by extension of the carbon chain by acetate on the side of the carboxylic acid group and introduction of additional double bonds in the divinylmethane pattern directed toward the carboxylic acid group. There is some evidence, however, that a total synthesis of the polyenoic acids of the oleic acid type occurs in the animal body.
The transformation of linolenic to C22-hexaenoic acid and some intermediate reactans have been investigated more precisely by means of the tracer method. As far as the biosynthesis of the polyenoic fatty acids is concerned there are no fundamental differences in different vertebrates.
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Nach einem Vortrag auf der gemeinsamen Tagung der deutschen, französischen und schweizerischen Biochemiker in Zürich vom 10.–12. Oktober 1960.
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Klenk, E. Chemie und Stoffwechsel der Polyenfettsäuren. Experientia 17, 199–204 (1961). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02160613
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02160613