Biosynthesis of Fatty Acids by Seeds of Ricinus communis

Abstract

So far, the biosynthesis of fatty acids in plant material seems to have received little attention ; in this connexion we notice especially the communications of Newcomb and Stumpf1. We have now taken up similar researches on seeds of Ricinus communis var. sanguineus. The seeds were germinated in moist sand at 30° C. in darkness, the cotyledons sliced with a thin razor blade by freehand into sections ± 0.5 mm. thick, and aliquots incubated in water and substrate in a Warburg apparatus for 6 hr. at 30° C. After incubation the slices were rinsed and extracted with a mixture of ethanol–ether (3 : 1) ; evaporation in vacuo leads to pure castor oil. After saponification, the non-saponifiable material was extracted with petroleum–ether. The fatty-acid fraction was acidified, extracted several times and the combined ether-fractions dried and evaporated.