PHOSPHOLIPIDS FROM THE FREE-LIVING NEMATODE CAENORHABDITIS-ELEGANS

The phospholipid and the fatty chain compositions of diacyl, alkylacyl and alkenylacyl glycerophospholipids of the free-living nematode, Cae norhabditis elegans, were investigated. The phospholipids were compris ed of 54.5% ethanolamine glycerophospholipid (EGP), 32.3% choline glyc erophospholipid (CGP), 8.1% sphingomyelin and 5.1% others. The most ab undant fatty acid in CGP was eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3). The fatt y acids in CGP were more unsaturated than those in EGP. Alkenylacyl an d alkylacyl subclasses accounted for 1.0 and 2.6%, respectively, of CG P and 14.0 and 19.6%, respectively. of EGP. At least 80% of the alkeny l and alkyl groups were 18:0 chains and the remaining were odd numbere d chains. The potential presence of platelet-activating factor (PAF) w as examined by bioassay, but PAF-like activity was not detected in the extracts of this nematode.