Comparative composition of soybean and corn phosphatides

Abstract

SummaryCorn phosphatides have been separated into alcohol‐soluble and alcohol‐insoluble fractions employing the same procedure previously used with soybean phosphatides. Alcohol‐soluble and alcohol‐insoluble portions have been fractionated by countercurrent distribution. The alcohol‐soluble portion was found to contain lecithin and a small amount of cephalin. In addition to the phosphatides a nitrogen containing compound was concentrated in the 95% methanol‐soluble fractions along with a small amount of sugar. As with the corresponding alcohol‐insoluble fraction from soybean phosphatides, two major types of phosphoinositides are found to be present, those more soluble in hexane and those more soluble in 95% methanol. In contrast to soybean phosphatides most of the sugar is concentrated in the hexane‐soluble fractions. The phosphorus to nitrogen and phosphorus to inositol ratios vary widely and do not approximate two as was the case in the soybean inositides. However the more hexane‐soluble fractions seem to be made up largely of material with one mole of phosphorus for each mole of nitrogen and sugar.