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Bishomopinolenic (7,11,14–20:3) acid in pinaceae seed oils
Author(s) -
Wolff Robert L.,
Christie William W.,
Coakley David
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
journal of the american oil chemists' society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.512
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1558-9331
pISSN - 0003-021X
DOI - 10.1007/s11746-997-0081-5
Subject(s) - pinaceae , cupressaceae , tsuga , botany , fatty acid , thuja , chemistry , resin acid , biology , pinus <genus> , organic chemistry , pollen
Abstract Bishomopinolenic (7,11,14–20:3; BHP) acid has been identified in a sample of pine ( Pinus contorta ) seed oil by gas‐liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry of its 4,4‐dimethyloxazoline and picolinyl ester derivatives. Neither 20:3n‐6 nor 18:3n‐6 acids could be detected. The distribution of BHP acid in the seed oils of four conifer families has been established. It only occurred in Pinaceae ( Pinus, Abies, Cedrus, Tsuga, Pseudotsuga, Larix , and Picea; 72 species analyzed), where it could reach 0.7% of total fatty acids. It could not be detected in Taxaceae ( Taxus baccata ), Cupressaceae ( Juniperus communis ), or Taxodiaceae ( Sciadopytis verticillata ) seed lipids. It is assumed that BHP acid is the elongation product of pinolenic (5,9,12–18:3) acid, and that, at most, 3% of pinolenic acid is elongated to BHP acid. Consequently, the Δ5‐desaturation would not necessarily be a final step in the biosynthesis of unsaturated polymethylene‐interrupted fatty acids in Pinaceae seeds. Moreover, conifer seeds appear devoid of the Δ6‐desaturase.