Glucolipids of Zea mays and Pisum sativum

Abstract

The glucolipids formed upon feeding (U-14C) glucose to embryos of Z. mays were partially characterized with respect to metabolic turnover, acid lability, P content, chromatographic properties and hydrolysis products. The chloroform-methanol-soluble assimilated radioactivity was examined specifically for occurrence of a glycosylated prenol phosphate. With the extraction conditions used, no evidence was found for formation of a glucosylated prenol phosphate. Several, as yet unidentified, acid-labile glucolipids undergoing metabolic turnover were observed. Four diglycerides were characterized as hydrolysis products of a fraction that contained 14C-glucose and P and was subject to metabolic turnover. Examination of the 1-butanol-soluble glucolipids from pea (P. sativum) seedlings also demonstrated anionic glucolipids, evidencing metabolic turnover but none with the properties of glucosylated prenol phosphate.