Abstract
The fatty-acid esters of lutein in Pieris brassicae pupae and adults were studied after rearing on a natural and an artificial diet. The reliability of the indirect method applied was confirmed by mass spectrometry. Lutein occurs as diesters and 3′-monoesters (no 3-isomers were found) with the same fatty acids on both diets: palmitic (16 : 0), palmitoleic (16 : 1), stearic (18 : 0), oleic (18 : 1), linoleic (18 : 2), and linolenic acid (18 : 3). On the natural diet linolenate was the most prominent ester followed by oleate. The relative composition of the diesters was similar to that of the monoesters. The monoester compositions differed only slightly between pupae and adults, and between 1-day adult males and females. During adult life of females no change in the monoester composition was stated. On the artificial diet oleate was the main monoester; linolenate was low. During adult life a strong increase in lutein diesters and a decrease in monoesters and free lutein was found on both diets. In 1-day and 14-day males more lutein is esterified than in the corresponding females. The tendency to diester formation is more pronounced in the male, too. The results are discussed in respect to the dietary fatty-acid supply and sexual dimorphism of lipid utilization in Pieris.
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