OCCURRENCE OF POLYPRENOLS AND DOLICHOLS IN PLANTS

Polyprenols of different chain length, composed of five to approximate ly fifty isoprene units are frequently encountered in the unsaponifiab le lipid fraction from leaves of Spermatophyta. Extensive search for t hese lipids has confirmed common occurrence and frequent accumulation of di- or tri-trans-poly-cis fully unsaturated prenols. Accumulation o f alpha-dihydropolyprenols in leaves seems to be very scarce. Availabl e data obtained in our and other laboratories allow to draw an overvie w describing occurrence of these prenyllipids in some main taxons of S permatophyta.